


In This Life

by orphan_account



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Brief Violence, F/F, F/M, Fem!Levi, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Multi, a mention of past abuse, lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-17
Updated: 2014-09-06
Packaged: 2018-01-01 20:41:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 61
Words: 94,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1048357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"It may have been a horrible life, but the bonds we made can't be broken. Not in this life or the next."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1,000 Years (Reunited Part 1)

**Author's Note:**

> These are just going to be a collection of random drabbles mostly from Levi/River's point of view. SPEAKING OF WHICH, Levi is, in fact, female in this story. I see stories and artwork of fem!Eren all the time so I thought it would be fun to make fem!Levi. I might even do prompts later if I get them.
> 
> Oh, and Levi isn't the only one who will be getting genderbent. :3
> 
> I know some people hate it, but when I read a chapter of a story, I like it when there is a song that goes a long with each chapter. I don't quote the song but I like it playing when I read it just to get the right feeling, you know? 
> 
> That being said, the song I listened to while writing this was 1,000 years by Christina Perri.
> 
> It's seriously going to be all fluff, and if I ever think I have the skills, maybe some smut. I'm not sure yet.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!

River had done her share of stupid things in her life but breaking up a fight at night in a darkened alleyway of New York City was probably at the top of that list.

 It wasn't that she couldn't take the four boys that had just been mugging a man in the alley. She had plenty experience fighting and taking down people while being far more outnumbered than this.

  _That was also another lifetime ago. And...I was also a man._

 Nevertheless, basic self-preservation kicked in and she positioned herself into a fighting stance. She sighed deeply as they seemed to debate whether or not to fight her. River decided to help them out.

 “I've already called the police, dipshits,” She lied, “And if you don't think I can't kick your pubescent asses then you are sadly mistaken.”

 She glanced over to the man who was slumped over with his back against the wall. He had been fighting back when she had arrived and was fighting passionately but he lacked technique and overall skill. He had been quickly overtaken.

 She couldn't see his face clearly but she knew he was looking up at her. The idiot started to get back up to probably help River with some stupid notion of saving her but before he even stood, he promptly passed out.

 She rolled her eyes and muttered, “My hero.”

 She had originally planned for this late night excursion to be something to help her get over her writer's block, but apparently, fate had other ideas. At the rate this was going, she wasn't going to meet her deadline tomorrow.

 “I'm not afraid to hit a lady,” One of the brats said boldly.

 “I can guarantee that if you do hit me, you won't be able to use your hand for anything. Not even to jack off your pathetic excuse of a penis,” River growled. The murderous glint in her eye must have convinced the boys that she would not hesitate to fatally injure them if need be.

 They shuffled a bit before, by some stroke of luck, a random police siren sounded.

 “Fuck, she actually called them,” He shouted before they all turned and high-tailed it out of the alley.

 “Fucking idiots,” River muttered to herself as she lowered her stance. It was a lucky thing for her that they were just stupid teenagers instead of actual criminals. Their cowardice wouldn't have been so easy to provoke.

 She walked over to the man and sat him up. She still couldn't see his face with the low lighting. She felt at his ribs but they all seemed to be intact. What River was worried most about was if he had a concussion or not. His head was sticky with blood and River swallowed back her disgust.

 She pulled her phone out of her pocket to call for an ambulance but a hand stopped her. She looked up and the man was once again staring at her.

 “Don't. Just help me home,” He said in a hoarse voice.

 “Don't be an idiot. You need to see a doctor,” River snapped at him.

 She could see his teeth gleam as he smiled.

 “I am a doctor. Doctor says take me home,” He replied, “Please.”

 River squinted at him before shining the screen light of her phone into his face and that was the moment she lost all capability to even breathe.

 The man winced from the sudden light in his eyes but then revealed his emerald green eyes as he looked back at her. His brown hair was tangled and had congealing blood in it. His nose was broken and he had a large bruise forming on his right eye and his lip was busted.

 But what River really noticed was the fact that he had the same fiery passion in his eyes that she remembered from lifetimes ago.

  _Eren. This is my Eren._

 She wanted to hold him, hug him, kiss him, never let him go. It felt as if her heart could break from sheer happiness of finding him again. Before she could stop herself, she placed her hand on his face and stroked the side of his face.

 “Ma'am?” Eren's voice brought her back to reality and her hand dropped as well as her heart.

  _He doesn't recognize me. Thousands of years and he doesn't remember._

 She waited a moment before swallowing.

 “Fine, brat. I'll help you to your apartment. It better not be far.”

 She shoved her phone in her pocket and took on the chore of helping the man up. He got up with a lot less difficulty than she thought he would but just like before, his consciousness faded fast and he slumped against her, leaving River supporting all his weight.

 “Fuck! Eren!”

 He didn't stir. After a few more curses, River managed to shift her weight and, with little trouble, hefted him up onto her shoulders. She managed to reach into his pocket and locate his wallet. Juggling the grown man, she flipped open the wallet to see if he had some sort of identification.

  _Eren Jaeger_

_DOB: 03/30/1986_

_Sex: Male_

_Hair Color: Brown_

_Height: 5'11_

 “Too damn tall,” River muttered as she looked at his address and found it was only a block away.

 “I can't believe you got in a fight this close to you house,” She chastised the comatose man before adjusting him into a more secure position before carrying him out of the alley way.

 New Yorkers didn't seem to care that a small woman was caring a bloody, unconscious man down the street but she figured it was probably a good thing. The sooner she got him home and cleaned up the better.

 She managed to find the right apartment building and with a sigh of relief found he only lived on the third floor and they had an elevator.

 It wasn't a very nice apartment building and she shuddered to think of what the inside of Eren's apartment would look like.

 She approached the right door and once more maneuvered her hand to his pocket to get the keys. Overall, it was rather impressive that she didn't drop him on the floor.

 The studio apartment, to say the least, was tiny and most likely overpriced, something River had found all to common since moving from France. Once she entered, the bathroom was immediately on the right next to a small closet. The tiny hallway opened up into a room that had a simple couch and TV on the side of the room closest to the door and on the other side of the room, a bed. Eren had bookshelf full of medical journals and other assorted books which validated his claim of being a doctor. The kitchen was in the same room and had a small counter with a single chair at it. The counter had dirty bowls and plates covering almost every inch of it.

 If he was a doctor, he wasn't a very rich one.

 She set him down on the bed at the far side of the room and stripped him down to his boxers before going to find a first aid kit. Luckily, he did own one, and once she cleaned and patched him up, she took all his dirty clothes and put it in a hamper he found in the bathroom.

 She surveyed the rest of the apartment and saw that none of his clothes were actually in the hamper but rather on the floor. She picked them up, a bit disgruntled and put them in their rightful place.

 The more she looked around at the small space, the more she noticed was dirty. If she was honest with herself, she was a hot bed of nervous energy.

 After doing the dishes, taking the garbage out, and cleaning the bathroom, River took a blanket and pillow off Eren's bed and making a makeshift bed on the couch. She debated on whether or not this was the right thing to do but she didn't want to leave Eren.

 She crept over to the bed and sat down on one side of it and started to stroke Eren's hair. It was calming to say the least. He had a peaceful expression on his face which was different from before. Back then, he never truly looked relaxed, even while sleeping.

 “This life has been good to you,” River murmured happily, “Although, I wish you remembered me.”

  _I'm your Captain, remember?_

 Eren groaned in his sleep but was otherwise still.

 River fell asleep with her hand still caressing her lost lover's head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what was originally going to be one chapter turned into three...


	2. 1,000 Ships (Reunited Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We have a second chance now. That's the important part, Petra. Because of your sacrifice, the world is the way it is now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Second chapter. It was originally part of the first chapter but hey, why not make it into multiple parts.
> 
> The song I listened to while writing this was [1,000 Ships](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKfzqtfL1Qc) by Rachel Platten. (I really have something for 1,000 I guess)

A shrill sound startled River awake and for a panicked moment she looked wildly around the room. After a moment, she realized it was the sound of a phone, but not her own.

 The sun was already up and it dazed and confused her. She looked over and realized that she had fallen asleep next to Eren, who had drooled all over his pillow. She wasn't particularly upset with the situation but it would have been somewhat of a situation if Eren had woken up before her.

 The phone rang again and River got up searching for the source of the ringtone. She quickly remembered that his phone must have been his pants and dug through the hamper. She reached it just in time to see it read “Hospital” and answered it.

 “Eren?” A voice came from the other end before she could say anything, “It's Petra. Where the hell are you? You were supposed to be here for rounds two hours ago and you won't answer you pager!”

 Many things flashed through River's mind to say but all she could get out was, “Petra Ral?”

 There was a bit of silence on the other side before, “Well, Petra Ral was my maiden name. I'm Petra Bossard now. Do I know you?”

 Petra Bossard. She was married. Not only that she was married to Auruo. That lucky bastard. They had found each other and that was a miracle in itself. They were alive and safe and well unlike the last time she had seen them, caked in their own blood.

 “Excuse me, but where is Eren?” Petra asked a bit defensively, “And how do you know me?”

 River paused for a moment and then decided to find out if Petra remembered her past life.

 “Petra, it's Levi. Captain Levi,” she said. River realized it probably didn't sound convincing considering that she did, in fact, sound like a woman.

 River heard a sharp intake of breath before the line disconnected. River looked at the phone in her hand, not quite sure how to take the abrupt ending of the conversation. Should she call the hospital back? River decided against it and figured that Petra would call back.

 She put the phone on the now clean counter and walked over to the bookshelf to find a suitable book to read. As she scanned the shelf, a book caught her attention. She took it and looked at the author's name.

  _Rivaille. So he reads them_ , she thought in a self-satisfied way as she put the book back and found another one that caught her interest and walked over to the couch where the unused blanket and pillow were and sat down and began to read.

 After a half hour, Petra had not called back and River was starting to get anxious. Why did she hang up so suddenly? Did she or did she not remember? Was that gasp just her imagination?

 Unable to sit for any longer, River got up and went to the kitchen to search for some food. She had just deduced that there was only enough for a cheese omelet when there was a knock on the door. She looked over at the sleeping Eren but he didn't stir.

 She shut the refrigerator door and padded to the front door before hesitantly unlocking it and pulling it open.

 Immediately, she was assaulted with a hug and it took her a few seconds to gain her bearings. Someone's face was buried into her neck, hair tickling River's chin and arms wrapped tightly around her. River knew exactly who it was and returned the hug.

 “Captain Levi,” the small woman sobbed, “It's really you. Captain-”

 "Hello, Petra,” River returned with a squeeze.

 She pulled herself away from River and looked her up and down. River noticed that her strawberry-blonde hair was longer now, just past her shoulders, and that she looked older.

 “Captain,” Petra whispered, “You're a woman”

 River only nodded and looked back into the apartment before asking, “Do you want to go somewhere? I feel like we have some catching up to do.”

 

* * *

 

 “It's just like Eren to get into trouble like that,” Petra said not unkindly, “And to refuse to go to the hospital. Doctors are the worst patients I swear.”

 Petra and River had gone to a coffee shop a couple blocks away. Once they had gotten their coffee and sat down, Petra had demanded to know just what had happened to Eren like a concerned mother.

 River smirked and took a sip of coffee. She never changed.

 “Levi-I mean, River, you remember everything?”

 She set her coffee down and answered, “Yes. I remembered everything at my mother's funeral.”

 “I'm sorry,” Petra murmured but River waved her off.

 “It's fine. She had a good life,” she said, “But when I remembered, I sold the house there and moved from France to here.”

 Petra nodded and drank some of her coffee.

 “When did you remember, Petra?”

 At that, Petra started to blush.

 “I-uh-well...I remembered when I first saw Auruo,” She answered sheepishly, “It all fell into place after that. He had already regained his memories from when his brothers locked him in the attic for six hours when he was seventeen.”

 “I would like to meet him soon,” River said as nonchalantly as she could. The fact that Petra was here with her now was surreal but the fact that she could meet another one of her squad members filled her with the unfamiliar feeling of excitement.

 “Of course! Oh, he's going to be so jealous that I met you and he didn't,” she said with a mischievous glint in her eye, “And just wait until he find out that you are a woman in this life. He's going to flip.”

 River shook her head but smiled regardless. They sat in a comfortable silence before Petra once more broke it.

 “Captain-I mean-River,” She said quietly, “How did it end? After I died, what happened?”

 River didn't try to hide the pain in her face as she asked. It was better that she didn't know what happened after her death but River had never been one to withhold information when asked, whether it was this life or the previous one.

 “Are you sure you want to know? Really sure, Petra?”

 Petra caught the tone in River's voice and hesitated before nodding.

 So River told her. She told her everything that happened after her death and left no detail out. It was painful to say the least. He watched as horror and then resigned sorrow crossed her face. It was more than an soldier who had gave their life for a cause that they believed was right should know but he told her anyway.

 After she had finished, Petra said nothing for a while. River didn't blame her and silently sipped her coffee.

 “So, weren't fighting for humanity exactly as we had thought,” Petra said after a while and River shook her head.

 “But,” River said, “We have a second chance now. That's the important part, Petra. Because of your sacrifice, the world is the way it is now.”

 Petra smiled lightly and nodded.

 After talking for about a half hour more, Petra said that she had to get back to the hospital. She gave River another hug and they exchanged numbers before she left.

 “I'll make up an excuse for Eren today but tell him he better be back tomorrow. His resident isn't going to be happy.”

 “Sure,” River said, “Hey, Petra!”

 She turned and looked at him expectantly.

 “Does Eren remember?”

 Petra looked a little sad before she answered, “I don't think so. I've tried hinting at it but all he ever does is look confused.”

 River let go of a breath she didn't know she had been holding and tried not to look disappointed.

 “You really like him, don't you,” Petra said shrewdly.

 River grimaced, “Is it that obvious?”

 “Please. It was obvious before I died. Now it's like a neon sign,” Petra laughed as she turned away.

 


	3. Everything Has Changed (Reunited Part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She was pretty sure that he was the biggest fucking idiot to walk the face of the planet but all she wanted to do was to hold him in her arms again make sure he never left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, and part three is a go. 
> 
> Song: [Everything Has Changed](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_0yjZEUbdgc) by Taylor Swift. Cheesy, yes, I know, whatever don't judge me -.- But it also has Ed Sheeran in it so that's a plus.

It was only ten o'clock when River returned to the apartment and Eren was still asleep. River was beginning to worry that Eren had actually been hurt and maybe she should take him to the hospital but then he suddenly sat up. He glanced around the room before his eyes landed on River.

 She shrugged her jacket off and went to the kitchen and began to get the appropriate ingredients for omelets.

 "Um...” Eren began.

 “My name is River, by the way,” she said as she cracked the first egg, “You were too busy passing out to ask.”

 She was amazed at how calm her voice sounded when her nerves were pretty much shot now that Eren was awake.

 “Uh...Right. Eren Jaeger,” he said as he shifted over to look at his alarm clock. Suddenly he jumped up.

 “Shit! I'm late!” He immediately began to root around in his closet for something to wear.

 “Hold up!” River said and he stilled, “I already talked to Petra and she said you are free for today.”

 “You talked to Petra?” Eren asked curiously. River nodded.

 “She was concerned when you didn't show up for rounds. I explained what happened and she says that you should recover but to have your ass at the hospital tomorrow or your resident will be pissed.”

 “She didn't say that.”

 “I abridged it,” River replied and continued to cook, “You don't have any pants on, by the way.

 Eren flushed and put some pants on before he sat down at the counter and noticed how clean it was.

 “You cleaned.”

 “Yeah.”

 “Did you stay the night?”

 “Is that a problem, kid? I did clean you up after all,” River challenged.

 “N-no,” he replied quietly before adding, “And I'm not a kid. I bet I'm not much younger than you.”

 “Actually,” River said as she put the now finished omelet on a plate and placing it before Eren, “I'm younger than you.”

 “What?!” Eren exclaimed, “No way! How old _are_ you?”

 River raised her eyebrows. “Twenty-four. Do I really look that much older to you?”

 “No!” Eren said quickly, “Just-how?”

 “I'm going to guess and say it was probably because you were born first,” she answered dryly as she started to clean up the kitchen.

 Eren didn't say anything but dug into his omelet while River finished up the dishes.

 “Didn't you have work?” Eren asked after a while.

 “Shit!” River said suddenly realizing that someone probably had called her. Her first draft had been due today and the only reason she had been out last night was because she had hit a creative block she had been trying to work out.

 She pulled out her phone and saw that it was dead. She sighed and headed to the couch to put on her jacket.

 “You're on your own, kid,” River said, trying not to sound too displeased at the idea of leaving, “I have one hell of a boss and he isn't going to be happy that I missed a deadline.”

 She shrugged her jacket on and turned towards Eren.

  _I should give him my number or something. I might not see him again. Then again, would it be weird to?_

 River shook her head and quickly located a piece of paper and a pen and jotted down her number.

 “You owe me a dinner,” She said simply before turning away and heading to the door, “See you later, Eren.”

 “Wait!”

 She turned back around and was shocked to see that he was standing right behind her. Their height difference had never been much of a bother to River unless he used it as leverage but she could swear that he had grown taller in this lifetime than in their previous one.

 “What?” She said, a little breathless at how close they were.

 “I-well, thank you, River,” He said humbly. There was a look in his eyes that held more than simple gratitude however.

 “Like I said, you owe me,” she said dismissively.

 She started to turn to leave but suddenly, warm lips were pressed onto hers. She stilled in shock for a moment before closing her eyes and wrapping her arms across the back of his neck. She felt his tongue on her bottom lip and she opened her mouth as he slipped it inside. He moaned into the kiss in a way that had always driven her crazy.

  _Nothing has changed. But then again, everything has._

 She slipped her hands on to his chest and trailed her hands downward lightly. He pulled back and gasped and River took the opportunity to bite at his chin. She could feel his hands slowly dipping downwards as well. She took the chance to nip his earlobe before sucking on it.

 “Ngh-Levi-”

 With that, River pulled herself away from him. It took him a moment to not look glassy-eyed and stupid before he realized what he said.

 “No-shit, River, I didn't mean,” he stumbled over his words, “I don't even know where-”

 “Eren,” she said very quietly, “Do you remember me?”

 She almost looked down but she held his eyes. His eyes had always been beautiful and had always seemed as if they could see right through you but now they only held confusion. River had hoped that maybe it was the same situation as Petra and Auruo. That Eren saw her and knew everything.

  _Would I really want him to remember everything though?_

 “Forget it,” River muttered, “It was a weird question. I have to go.”

 She turned once more to the door before Eren's voice stopped her.

 "Captain Levi.”

 She had her hand on the handle of the door but she didn't turn around.

 “Of course, I remember you. I've always remembered everything since I was born. I just-”

“You shitty fucking brat,” River said more angrily than she meant as she turned around, “Why didn't you tell me? From the very start. Do you realize how long I've been looking for you?”

 “Not as long as I've been looking for you,” Eren shot back before saying, “I didn't think you remembered. Nobody does except me and-”

 “Petra remembers. So does Auruo.”

 Eren gaped at her. She was pretty sure that he was the biggest fucking idiot to walk the face of the planet but all she wanted to do was to hold him in her arms again make sure he never left.

 “I didn't know,” he said simply.

 “Then ask, moron!”

 “You didn't ask either, Levi!” he paused, “No, wait, River.”

 “I don't care what you call me, you big piece of-” She didn't get to finish her sentence because Eren decided to kiss her again.

 “I've missed you so much, Levi,” he whispered once they broke apart again. She looked up at him.

 “Are you seriously crying?”

 “Some of us actually have emotions, you know,” he said smiling. The kid was too damn happy, but then again, so was she.

 She kept her arms around him and laid her head on his chest.

 “I missed you too, Eren,” she said softly. Neither of them made any motion to move and stood there, just drinking each other up.

 She supposed the first draft could wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who need proofreading...psht.
> 
> After this though, it will seriously be just a bunch of random scenes into the lives of those two and sometimes others.


	4. Don't You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "My problem is that J.K. Rowling is stealing my boyfriend"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, new chapter sooner than I thought. I just want to say, I love writing fluff. These two are too cute. ^.^
> 
> Song is [Don't You](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcBywQl6PTI) by Darren Criss

The first few weeks proved to be extremely difficult in terms of actually getting to spend time together. Eren worked eighty-plus hours at the hospital and River was constantly working on her newest work as to assuage the wrath of her editor. She had taken to sleeping at Eren's rather than her own place even if it was too small in her taste. It gave her the opportunity to actually see him as he came home from the hospital before he fell into an exhausted heap on the bed.

"So, if you're a surgeon, don't you make enough money to get a better apartment?" River asked.

It was a sunny day and both of their schedules had cleared up and they had decided to spend it in Central Park before getting something to eat later. They were both currently sitting on a bench; River sitting upright, running her hands through Eren's hair, who had his head in her lap and was sprawled across the rest of the bench.

"I'm just an intern right now," Eren answered, "They don't make as much as residents or attendings do. That and it's New York City. The prices for everything is jacked up here."

River hummed in agreement.

"Is Petra a doctor there too?"

"No," he replied, "Just a nurse. A damn good one too. She gets a lot of shit from other nurses though."

River furrowed her eyebrows. "Why?"

"Because her father-in-law is on the board of the hospital. They say she gets special treatment and so on."

"Does she?"

"Yes, sometimes."

River laughed at that and Eren smiled and closed his eyes.

"When is your internship over?"

"In the spring. I have to take an intern exam and if I can pass that then I can become a resident. It's a rough program though and I still haven't decided what I want my specialty to be."

"Specialty?" River asked.

"You know, like cardio-thoracic surgery, neurological surgery, and so on," Eren said.

River nodded. There was just so much to Eren's life and she wanted to know every detail. The first time he lost a tooth, what he looked like as a baby, what clubs he was in in high school. He was happy now and River knew that after the horror and bloodshed he had lived in his previous life, he deserved the peace that this world offered.

"Why a doctor?" River murmured.

Eren shifted to look up at her.

"I guess..." he started hesitantly, "I guess because I want to preserve what I tried to protect."

River smiled and shook her head. Fucking noble Eren. Sometimes she forgot how much he actually cared. Before, it had always appeared that he only cared for Mikasa and Armin but as time went on, and as they fought together, River came to gradually see that Eren, while a sadistic bastard, had a huge heart for humanity. 

"River," Eren said, breaking her out her thoughts, "What do you do?"

River realized that she had never exactly told him what she did as a living. While he knew she had deadlines and someone constantly on her ass all the time for her job, it really didn't explain anything about her job. 

He had a few of her books on his shelf. That meant he liked them enough to buy them. River felt her heart swell with satisfaction that she had already formed a connection with him before they had even met.

"Who is your favorite author, Eren?" River asked, already stroking her ego.

"I-what does this have to do with anything?" Eren gazed curiously up at her.

"Just answer the question."

Eren sighed and thought for a moment before saying, "I don't know. J.K. Rowling, I guess."

River was extremely glad that she had mastered the art of keeping a straight face. If she hadn't, she was pretty sure her jaw would have dropped in outrage. Nevertheless, her hand did tighten in Eren's hair and he yelped at the sudden pain.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" River said lowly.

"Damn, River, let go!" Eren shouted, trying to extricate himself from her, "What the hell is your problem?"

She let go and he sat up abruptly, looking at her, confusion written on his face.

"My problem is that J.K. Rowling is stealing my boyfriend," she snapped.

Eren looked like he was trying to keep up with her train of thought but gave up after a moment. "What?"

"I'm an author, Eren. A pretty damn successful one if sales are anything to go by," She said shortly.

Eren must have realized that she what he had said wrong. He sighed and shook his head.

"Damn. You still get jealous easily too," He muttered, but he had a slight smile on his face, "I'm sorry, but I've never seen your name on any books..."

"You have them on your bookshelf, you moron," River said, ignoring the jealous comment.

Eren thought for a moment before saying, "You're Ri-vale?"

"What?"

He repeated himself and River realized that the dear idiot was just saying her name wrong.

"It's pronounced 'Reev-eye', numb nuts," she said, trying not to smile, "It's French."

Eren blinked at her before breaking into a grin.

"Seriously? That's how you pronounce it? I'm an idiot," he said quickly and River didn't disagree, but he continued, "But, you wrote  _Tricking the Messenger_  and  _Red-Letter Diaries_! They are making a movie out of that one! Seriously, River? You wrote those?"

Eren was now a bundle of excitement and all of River's previous irritation melted away.

"Yeah, I wrote those and a few more you know," She said before adding, "Brat."

Eren sighed and returned to the former position of having his head in her lap.

"That's so cool, River," he said happily, "I would have never pegged you for the writing type but you are a damn good one."

"Not as good as J.K. Rowling though," she replied, disgruntled.

"Oh, c'mon! It was the first thing that popped into my head," Eren defended, "If it helps, I don't even have any of her books. But I still like them."

"That doesn't help at all, actually, but thanks for trying," River said but she wasn't as angry as she let on and Eren noticed.

There was a comfortable silence surrounding them as River went back to stroking Eren's hair. There were some kids playing some form of catch not to far from them and their laughter could be heard as well as some friendly arguing. There were couples walking their dogs and a few bikers intent on their route. River was glad for the tranquility of it all. It was easy to forget just how horrible the world could be when there were times like these.

"Why an author?" Eren asked, breaking the silence once more.

River thought for a moment before shrugging.

"I don't know. I've wanted to be one since I was little but then my mom got sick so I didn't exactly have the time to write."

"Your mom got sick?"

River sighed. "Yeah. She got leukemia when I was fourteen. I had to take care of her while going to school. I know she hated me having to be more responsible than I should have but I really didn't mind."

"Did...is she-?"

River shook her head and cleared her throat. It had been five years but it still didn't make it any easier to talk about.

"She died when I was nineteen. It was pretty rough. She was a good mother," River said before adding on quietly, "I miss her."

Eren reached up and cupped her face in his hand comfortingly. She looked down at his impossibly green eyes and half-smiled.

"It's alright," she said thoughtfully, "You know, I remembered everything at her funeral. It was strange. One second, I have this one life where I'm a girl and I'm just mourning the loss of my only family, and the next second, I have this whole other life where I fought titans and I had seen more blood than anybody should in one life."

Eren kept his gaze on her while she talked, not wanting to interrupt her memories.

"I passed out, actually. There were just so many memories in my head at the same time that it overwhelmed me. Everyone else said it was just stress and I agreed with them, not wanting to sound crazy. But a little while after that, I figured that if I was alive and remembered these things, than maybe you were out there too. Maybe Gunter, Erd, Petra, Auruo, Erwin, and even batshit crazy Hanji were out there too. So I sold my mother's house and moved to New York and started writing. Didn't expect to get quite as successful as I did though, but it's a good thing. I hate living in dingy, shitty apartments."

Eren chuckled and reached up once more to stoke her hair. It was in ponytail today but the bangs hung loose in her usual fashion. In all honesty, River sometimes still felt like a man, but she really enjoyed things like having long hair or being able to dress up. She had, after all, been strictly a woman the first nineteen years of her life before she remembered that she was once a man. 

Gender fluid, someone once called it and she appreciated that term.

"It's long," he mumbled and River made a noise of agreement.

"Eren, where are Mikasa and Armin?" River asked. They had both been extremely valuable soldiers previously but River knew just how much they meant to Eren and if he hadn't mentioned them yet, then something was wrong.

He stopped stroking her hair and dropped his hand down to his chest.

"I don't know," he told her, "I haven't found them yet. I've tried Facebook and Twitter but I've only managed to find Connie, and he lives out in Nebraska."

River sighed, understanding the feeling. She had found Auruo and Petra through Eren and she was extremely grateful for being able to talk to them again, but there were so many other people that she missed dearly.

"Do your parents remember?" River asked, trying to get his mind off of his lost friends.

Eren hesitated before answering, "My dad doesn't. I think my mom does but she doesn't let on. She says weird stuff sometimes but whenever I question her, she brushes it off. Like, before my brother was born, she said if it was a girl she wanted to name it Mikasa and then after he was born she said something like 'I have two beautiful boys this time'."

"You have a brother?" River asked.

Eren laughed. "Yeah, Gilbert. Gil for short though. He's your age."

"My age," River muttered angrily, a little miffed that Eren was older than her.

"Yeah, he got married last year and his wife is going to have a baby," Eren said happily. 

River loved that happy grin of his. She was just about to ask where his hometown was before the loud growl of Eren's stomach sounded.

He chuckled sheepishly before sitting up.

"Want to get something to eat? I can't stand it anymore. I'm starved."

River rolled her eyes but nodded. He stood up and held out his hand, which she took easily enough as she stood up herself.

As they made their way through the park, River couldn't help but smile.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure I like how I ended the chapter but whatever. 
> 
> Do you realize how many times I had to change the times I said "him" to "her"? Levi as a woman is strangely satisfying though. I hope I can keep him in context. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> I also just made up some random titles for books. Congrats, Levi, for being a successful author.
> 
> Literally all I know about being a surgeon comes from Grey's Anatomy and a bit of research. Don't take it too seriously, please.


	5. Procrastination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He realized that letting another man into the house while his furious naked girlfriend stood behind him was probably not a good idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uggghhh, I hate this chapter. It didn't turn out at all what I wanted it to be.
> 
> Okay, so I really have no song for this but while I was writing it, [Bubblegum Bitch](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCffJMfGCNw) by Marina and the Diamonds was stuck in my head thanks to that jeanmarco post on tumblr. So yeah, there you go.

There were a lot of things that Eren learned about River within the span  of a few weeks.

First, she could rap any song just by hearing it once. She had a certain affinity to Pitbull but what impressed Eren the most is that she could rap any Busta Rhymes song. It amused Eren to no end that the former stoic captain rapped with such intensity. As a joke one day, he bought her a plastic, golden dollar chain necklace. She promptly threw it a way.

Second, he learned that she took her tea with milk. He found this extremely odd but when he mentioned it she only muttered, "Fucking Americans" and that was the end of the conversation. 

Third, he found that as much as she complained about how small his apartment was, she spent all of her time at it. He suggested that if she didn't like it, maybe they should sleep at her apartment every once and a while, but with a murderous glare and a snappy comeback, he decided not to press the issue and ended up giving her a key to his apartment.

Fourth, he rediscovered that she spoke French, not when she was angry, but when she was talking in her sleep.

He had woken up one night to trudge to the bathroom and when he came back she was muttering something he couldn't hear. He laid down next to here and tried to pick up on what she was saying.

"Putain Steve..." she mumbled quietly. 

Eren didn't really understand what she said but he asked her in a gentle voice as to not wake her completely, "Who's 'Putain Steve'?"

"Ce salaud..." was the only response he received. She turned over in her sleep and didn't say anymore.

After that, it had become somewhat of a game for Eren to try and get her to talk in her sleep.

Firth, and finally, she proved to be somewhat of a neat freak, much like she had in her previous life, but what Eren never would have guessed was that she was also a procrastinator of the worst kind.

* * *

Eren had been on call at the hospital all night and was greatly looking forward to getting home to where he knew River would be. They had made plans for a movie later in the day once Eren had taken a short nap as to take advantage of the day off that they both had.

 _Come to think of it_ , he thought,  _River has had a lot of days off lately._

He shrugged and pulled out his phone, seeing a new text from Connie.

He had gotten in contact with Connie two years previously on Facebook and had been relieved to find out that he remembered everything. Unfortunately, the situation he remembered was probably the most awkward way to find out but it amused Eren to no end.

_Laugh now, but you try explaining to your girlfriend that the reason you went limp noodle on her was because you suddenly remembered titans and shit. Try getting it up after that._

Connie, now a Freshman in college, had been trying to find Sasha ever since he remembered. Eren remembered that they had gotten married in their previous life which surprised nobody. There really wasn't any question of whether or not they would get married again either if they ever found each other. It was just one of those things, Eren supposed.

 _Hey is it weird for you to bang Levi as a girl now?,_  the text read. Eren knew he must have been turning red and responded,  _Don't you have a class you should be in?_

 _  
_Eren didn't receive a response until he had reached his front door.

_Just curious._

_  
Mind your own business, Connie,_ Eren replied.

The first time with River had been awkward to say the least and he didn't like to think about it. But things had gotten better and one day, Eren had confessed that he actually missed River's dick.

"Damn, Eren. If you want in the ass that badly, we could just use a strap," she had replied, amusement evident in her voice.

Eren hadn't exactly vetoed the idea but it wasn't so much that missed dick in general, he just missed  _River's_.

 _  
_He sighed but unlocked and opened his door regardless. He didn't expect River to be up quite yet so he quietly shut the door and made his way to the kitchen.

"Hey"

He turned and saw River sitting up in bed. Her hair clung messily to her face and she had quite a few strands sticking up in odd places. She was blinking sleep out of her eyes as she raised her arms above her head to stretch her muscles.

"Morning," Eren smiled as he got some bread to make toast.

She threw the covers off of her and silently padded over to the counter and sat in the chair there. She was wearing one of his over-sized shirts as if she knew that wearing Eren's clothes was something that drove him crazy. It was something that she had done before and it seemed to carry over. It took every ounce of self-control just to keep his hands off of her at that moment.

River yawned and asked, "How was work?"

"Boring," he answered, "All I really did was paperwork all night."

She hummed and Eren knew she wasn't fully awake yet. While she always had been a morning person, she was severely lethargic the first half hour after waking up. Eren was pretty sure that he could smear peanut butter on the cabinets right in front of her and she wouldn't bat an eye until later.

"Mm, Imma take a shower," she said before getting up and heading to the bathroom. Eren chuckled and finished making his breakfast before sitting down on his couch and turning the TV on. He heard the water turn on and briefly considered following her but then remembered the bruise on his ribs from the last time he had surprised her in the shower.

He had just finished downing his orange juice when the loud and constant vibration of River's phone reached his ears signifying that someone was calling. He ignored it and it eventually stopped, but once it did, it resumed once more.

Curious, Eren got up and wandered over to the phone to pick it up

The contact ID read,  _Asshat._

 _  
_The phone stopped buzzing in his hand and began to buzz again while Eren debated whether or not to answer her phone. After the fourth time the person called, Eren's curiosity got the better of him and decided to answer, wondering who would make it into River's phone as _Asshat._

 _  
_"Hello?" he said into the speaker.

"Hello? Who is this?" A tired and snappy voice said back. It was definitely a man and Eren wasn't sure if he should be alarmed or not.

"This is Eren. River's boyfriend," he said, only a little threateningly.

A short sigh and the other man responded, "I'm Steve Wilkins. River's editor. Did she put you up to answering the phone?"

"What? Uh, no, she's in the shower..." Eren said, more than a little confused, "Why does she have your contact as 'Asshat'?"

"Because she's a little shit. I'm assuming that she's been hiding out at your place for the past couple weeks."

Things were slowly starting to make sense to Eren.

"Yeah, she's been here, why?"

The man made an irritated sound on the other end. 

"I should have fucking figured. She's late on her deadline and tends to hide out when she is. I've been over to her place quite a few times and she hasn't been there and doesn't answer her fucking phone. That woman is going to get me fired."

There was silence on both ends before Eren said shrewdly, "You know...you could just come here if the situation is that bad."

There was a pause before the man named Steve chuckled and said, "I like you, Eren."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, River emerged from the bathroom in nothing but a towel. She seemed a bit surprised that Eren was still awake and sitting on the couch but crossed over to the dresser where she had stashed some of her clothes.

"So," Eren started, "Steve called."

He heard her freeze for a moment before he turned towards her.

"You've been hiding at my apartment to get out of work," Eren accused and River only pressed her lips into a thin line. Before he could say anything more, River dropped the towel around her quite purposefully. 

Eren caught onto what she was doing and averted his eyes. As much as he appreciated her body, he really couldn't get distracted at that moment.

"Fuck, River, put some damn clothes on," Eren muttered.

"Is that what you really want?" she said in a sultry voice into his ear, suddenly right beside him. She trailed her hands down his chest from behind him and he cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Yeah," he said and his voice cracked despite himself, "You might want to get some clothes on. We are going to have a visitor."

River stood quickly and Eren looked to see a look of horror on her face.

"You told him to come here?" she whispered fiercely.

"Because,  _Levi_ ,  it's apparent that you wouldn't listen to me and you won't go home, so yeah, I did," Eren said, trying not to laugh.

River pressed her lips together in a cold fury and said nothing.

"Oh, c'mon, River, it's not that bad," Eren said.

Before she could answer, there was a knock on the door.

"Don't you fucking answer that, Jaeger," River threatened.

"It's my apartment. I do what I want," he grinned. He reached into the closet and pulled out a bathrobe. He realized that letting another man into the house while his furious naked girlfriend stood behind him was probably not a good idea. "Here, put this on."

She huffed angrily and put on the bathrobe. Once he was sure she was covered, he went and opened the door.

Almost immediately, a tall man with blonde curly hair burst into the apartment and made a beeline for River.

"Why the  _fuck_  don't I have that draft, River?" he practically shouted.

River grinned cheekily. "I don't know. Maybe I've been constipated and I've been working through that."

"Wipe that damn grin off your face. Do you realize that not only has  _my_ boss been on my ass, but so has the publisher!"

"I didn't think you minded people being on your ass all that-"

"RIVER, I SWEAR TO FUCK!"

Eren watched the scene with morbid fascination. Never had he seen someone on the same intimidation level as River and it was like a car crash; he just couldn't look away.

"Look, there was just no internet here so I couldn't send it-"

"THEN SEND IT AT YOUR OWN DAMN APARTMENT!"

"Fuck you, there's no need to yell. My laptop-"

"STOP MAKING COCK SHITTING EXCUSES AND JUST DO YOUR DAMN JOB!"

There was a moment of tense silence before Steve took a deep breath. "Get you damn head out of your ass and pull that sense of duty that you write about out and finish the damn draft. I want it in an email by Monday morning or else you can find yourself a new editor, got it?"

River looked abashed, much to Eren's surprise, and looked away.

"Fine, you giant ass, whatever," she replied.

The man straightened himself and turned towards the door. "I actually have a job I have to get back to unlike some who just hide for weeks on end. Monday, River, don't forget."

He then left with a final parting of "Nice meeting you, Eren," and there was silence. Eren then burst into laughter.

"Fuck you, Jaeger," River mumbled as she went back over to the dresser and started pulling out clothes to put them on.

"I can't believe it," Eren said through wheezes, "You just got your ass handed to you, holy shit."

"You are really pissing me off," River said through gritted teeth. Eren sobered himself.

"Maybe if you just finished on time then there wouldn't be a problem," Eren said unhelpfully.

"Damn, it's like you guys don't know how hard writing really is," River sighed, "I can't just sit down and write an old thing. That leaves for shitty work that doesn't satisfy me so how the hell is it supposed to satisfy readers?"

Eren admitted that he really didn't know how much effort really went into writing and silently watched her dress herself and pick up the towel to put it into the hamper.

"I have to go back to my place. My laptop is there and I can't write with you around; you distract me."

"Guess this means our plans are canceled then," Eren stated. He was somewhat disappointed but he understood. She nodded and went to put her shoes on.

"I really hate this tiny place you know," River muttered.

Eren sighed, "You say that all the time. What do you want me to do about it? Damn."

River looked him in the eyes. Eren was glad that even if she was a woman now, she looked just the same as she had previously, right down to the piercing grey eyes. Whenever he looked into them, he could always see one hundred thoughts swirling beneath the surface. The only difference between then and now was that there was no forced strength hidden in them.

"You could move in with me," she said simply.

Eren gaped at her. He had actually wanted to move in together officially but they had only been dating for a month and he didn't want to jump the gun or make River feel stifled.

"It's not too soon?" he asked hesitantly.

River raised one of her eyebrows and asked, "Do  _you_  think it's too soon?"

"No!" Eren said grinning as he leaned down to press his lips on hers, "Fuck, no."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Crappy ass chapter but whatever. I don't really like writing OCs in fanfiction but I will have to deal. Hopefully Mr. Steve won't make an appearance all that much.
> 
> And Eren only calls River "Levi" if he is deadly serious or while they do the do. Yeah, boi.
> 
> And I think I smell a double date next chapter...


	6. Double Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'd be careful. She probably spit in it or something."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm really bored today so I wrote two chapters. I probably should wait to post tomorrow like I originally planned but whatever. I'll write something for tomorrow night regardless.
> 
> Song is [When We First Met](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHEx9ofx7Qk) by Hellogoodbye.

"I don't think the waitress likes me very much," River said.

"Well, you did glare at her the entire time she took our order and then pointed out her mole," Petra giggled.

Eren and River had been dating for a month and half when Petra suggested a group date. Even though they were in the middle of moving Eren's stuff into her apartment, they both agreed, not wanting to pass over an opportunity to spend time with the couple.

"I said beauty mark, Petra. I didn't mean it as a bad thing," River replied. Auruo hummed, not exactly agreeing nor disagreeing.

"I'm not sure she saw it like that, you know," Eren said, "People don't like it when you point shit like that out."

"Eren, don't swear in a family restaurant!" Petra chastised. 

River and both men turned to the woman all with equal looks of disbelief before Auruo clarified, "Petra doesn't swear."

"Ever?" Eren asked.

"Ever."

"Props to you, Petra, for not being a foul-mouthed bastard like the rest of us," River said as she sipped her water. Petra shot her a glare but said nothing.

"Say what you want, but it's annoying not swearing around you," Auruo said.

"Oh, you only swear because River does, and you know it," Petra teased. 

"Thats-I-That's not true!" he spluttered, "I'm a grown man, I do what I want."

"It is true. Don't think I forgot about how you copied the captain's speech, his hairstyle-"

"Which was common in the military! Captain, tell her!"

River looked at them with an indecipherable expression before shrugging.

"I don't care who he imitates. He was a damn good soldier and if that helped him, then so be it," she said before thoughtfully adding, "Although, I think you did the same thing sometimes, Petra."

At that, she blushed a bright red as both Eren and Auruo tried not to laugh.

Their food came almost immediately afterward and River received a withering glare when she got hers.

"I'd be careful. She probably spit in it or something," Auruo said and Petra giggled.

"I honestly wouldn't blame her if she did," Eren put in.

River scrunched her nose in disgust and tried to debate whether or not if the food was worth the risk. Before she decided, however, Eren switched plates with her.

"Hey!"

"You would probably just offend her more if you didn't eat it, which I know you won't because you're paranoid," Eren shrugged before he shoveled food into his mouth.

"Aw, Eren that was cute!" Petra sang before turning to Auruo, "Why don't you ever do that for me?"

"Because it's disgusting."

"You're hopeless," Petra sighed, "Romance is lost on you."

The all dug into their food and there was a couple minutes of enjoyable silence as they ate their food. River eventually broke the silence however.

"How did the two of you meet, by the way?" she asked.

Petra was in the middle of chewing a bite so Auruo answered her.

"Well, I had just graduated college for architecture and I had just gotten my first job. I was on my way to it and my dad asked me to drop something off at the hospital. That's where I saw Petra...and I guess that's pretty much it."

"Oh my gosh, Auruo, that was a lot less romantic than what really happened," Petra said, "It was actually really cute because he said my name and I turned around and he actually  _ran away_."

"I don't see how that's romantic," Auruo grumbled.

"It's romantic because you came back with a huge bouquet of flowers," Petra smiled, bumping him with her shoulder. Auruo blushed and shoved some food in his mouth in embarrassment.

"Anyway, River, how is your job going?" Petra asked.

"Hey, how come you didn't ask me?" Eren protested.

"Eren, I see you everyday at work. I know how your job is going. In fact, interns are one of the most talked about topic at the nurses station," Petra replied.

Eren grimaced and River took this as her cue to answer.

"Fine, I guess. I'm getting a lot of calls and shit because of the popularity. Steve says I need to get a personal assistant soon and I'm starting to think he's right. I'm tired of managing all the press and book signings and meetings by myself."

"Who's Steve?" Auruo asked, interested.

"My asshat of an editor," River answered.

Eren sighed. "He's not an asshat. He just does his job well."

"Too well," River snapped and Eren chuckled as he put another bite into his mouth.

At this point the waitress came up to the table.

"Is everything alright?"

They all nodded and Petra asked for more water, which the waitress happily obliged. She glanced down at River's meal and then at Eren's before her eyes widened in horror.

"Um," she said in a breathless voice to Eren, "You were the one who ordered the linguine?"

"No," he responded slowly, "We just switched meals. I thought hers looked better."

The waitress was practically shaking and responded with a small, "Oh" before scurrying off to the back of the restaurant.

Eren looked down at his meal in horrified silence. Petra covered her mouth in horror as River fought the smirk that was threatening to break out onto her face.

"I'm glad," Auruo said carefully, "that it wasn't me."

With that, the three of them burst into laughter. Eren, however, looked as if he was going to be sick.

The waitress did not appear at the table again and they all recieved their meals free that night.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter but there is an important plot point mentioned in it. Yay!
> 
> This is my atonement for the really crappy last chapter.


	7. Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little Auruo and Petra side story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys liked Auruo and Petra's first meeting so I decided to write a little story that explored on how they met. I wrote it on my break so sorry if there is any errors.

Auruo was in a hurry, even if he didn't need to be. It was his actual first day and he didn't want to be late, but, as his father pointed out, he would be over an hour and a half early if he left now as he wanted to. Auruo didn't really care, think that it would be better to be early than late.

"Auruo, calm down," his father chided him before handing him a manila envelope.

"What's this?" the nervous man asked gruffly as he took it.

"Since you are heading that direction, can you stop at the hospital and give this to the chief of surgery real quick?" 

"Dad, I-"

"Oh, relax," the older man said to his son, "You are still going to be early. It won't take more than five minutes. Just drop it in the slot by his door if he's not there."

Auruo knew grumbling wouldn't change anything and nodded sullenly before heading out. Less than a half hour later, he was in the hospital's elevator. He checked his watch and mentally cursed that his father was right.

_I don't want to be too early. I should probably stop and get a coffee or something after I drop this off just to kill some time._

_  
_The elevator lurched and the doors opened and Auruo stepped out. Since his father had been on the board of the hospital since who knows when, Auruo had sometimes been forced to come along so he knew the layout pretty well. He quickly approached the office and knocked.

"Come in," he heard and he entered.

"Doctor Foster," he said as he approached the desk where the middle aged man was sitting, "My dad wanted me to drop this off."

"Ah, yes!" the man took the envelope from him, "Thank you, Auruo."

"No problem," Auruo was about to turn to leave when the man stopped him.

"How are you doing? Haven't seen you in a while even though your old man talks about you all the time," Doctor Foster said kindly. Auruo had always liked the man. His father and him had been friends for a long time and had always sneaked Auruo a candy bar when his parents weren't looking when he was young.

"Good," he replied, "First day on the job today so that's where I was heading when Dad asked me to drop those off."

"First day on the job? Good for you!," he said jovially, "Next we just need to get you a woman."

The older man winked and Auruo rubbed the back of his head self consciously.

"Maybe later," he muttered, embarrassed. He turned to the door.

"We have a couple new nurses that just started this week. Maybe one will catch your eye," the man teased.

"Goodbye, Derry," Auruo said, turning the handle and walking out quickly. He could hear the doctor laughing as he walked down the hall.

Once he reached the elevator, he saw that they were all full and decided to use the stairs rather than wait. As he reached the last step, he started to walk past the nurses station when a sharp laugh reached his ears. Out of instinct, he turned to see who was making the noise when everything inside of him screeched to a halt.

There, standing at the desk, was a small woman with strawberry-blonde hair, laughing with another nurse. She was holding a clipboard and dressed in scrubs and he knew that she was a nurse. Probably one of the newer ones since he had never seen her at the hospital before. He would have noticed because he had been thinking about her from the time he was seventeen.

Before he could stop himself, he blurted, "Petra?"

He could have smacked himself. She turned away from her conversation and towards him with a look of curiosity. Then, her eyes widened and recognition flickered in her golden eyes.

Auruo panicked. Before she could say anything to him, he took off towards the exit.

"Wait!" she heard him yell after him but he didn't stop until he was outside and a safe distance away from the hospital.

_Fucking coward, that's what I am. I can face titans with no problem, but once it comes to her, I have no balls._

_  
_He stopped and knew that he should go back. He had to go back. The woman he loved was now in that hospital, within his reach. But he couldn't just go back after he had obviously made a fool of himself. He was an idiot.

By some stroke of luck, he spotted a flower shop down the street a ways and was struck with a moment of pure brilliance. He jogged over and into the store where an older woman with dark brown hair was standing behind the counter. She smiled at him as he approached.

"I want biggest bouquet of flowers I can get that can be made within ten minutes," he said nervously. 

The woman seemed surprised and then asked, "Messed up that badly, huh?"

"Uh, no," he said awkwardly, "I just need it for a girl I haven't seen in a long time."

She nodded as if she understood. "Tell you what, I can one made up in under ten minutes and I'll give you twenty percent off for the romantic gesture."

"Sounds good."

Ten minutes later and much pacing on Auruo's part, the woman handed him a large bouquet and he left her money on the counter with a, "Keep the change. Thanks!"

He was somewhat proud of himself when he walked back into the hospital and over to the nurses station to be greeted with looks of surprise from the nurses.

"Is Petra here?" he asked, getting nervous.

"Um," a male nurse answered, "She just went up to check on a patient but I'll page her to come down here."

"Thanks," he said.

He waited there awkwardly, aware of the looks he was getting. Suddenly, a whole bunch of doubts started eating away at him. What if she didn't really remember him? What if she was already married? She was definitely beautiful enough to be married and he knew that he really didn't stand a chance in the looks category. 

Then, she rounded the corner and took in the sight.

"Uh," Auruo said and he cursed his voice for cracking, "Hi,"

"Hi," she replied with a small smile starting to grow.

"I got these for you. I just thought that maybe you liked flowers or something so I got them for you and I thought I would say hi but I don't know if you really remember me and I didn't want to seem like a creep-"

Auruo had been talking to fast and suddenly he felt his teeth sink into the flesh of his tongue and could taste blood.

"Shit," he said and Petra put a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle.

"You idiot, I remember you," she said before taking his hand, "Now lets take care of you before you hurt yourself further."

Even after all that, Auruo was still ten minutes early to his job and had a date that Friday.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw, how cute. ^.^


	8. Unbreakable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> River was getting dangerously close to whining and she hated that she was sinking this low.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehehehe. That's all I really have to say.
> 
> I really only listened to [Royals](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlcIKh6sBtc) by Lorde while writing this but probably Thrift Shop by Macklemore (try the vintage ["Grandpa Style"](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Cnm0tdkJEU) version) would be a more appropriate song. Take your pick.

"Eren what are we doing here?"

River looked around at the bargain store and wrinkled her nose at the stale smell of the store. All she could see was outdated clothing in the front but Eren went straight to he furniture section of the store. River was starting to get a sinking feeling.

"We," the obviously excited man said, "Are shopping for something for your- _our_  condo." 

"Shit, Eren, we don't need anymore things," River said, "After all your stuff was moved in, which I don't know how you fit all that shit in your apartment, we have more than enough for the both of us."

"No, you don't understand," Eren said, looking at a glass coffee table before moving on, "We aren't officially moved in together until we buy furniture together."

"I thought it wasn't until we tested out the bed. Which we did. Multiple times."

An elderly woman happened to be within hearing range of River and made a noise of disapproval before giving her a look of distaste.

River rolled her eyes at her and turned her attention back to Eren.

"River, humor me," he said, particularly interested in a suede couch. He sat down on it and put both arms on the back of it, "What do you think?"

She crossed her arms and stared down at him. "We already have a perfectly good couch that doesn't smell like death."

"It's not that bad."

"Whatever. I'll go along with this but we should buy something small so we don't clutter the place.

Eren nodded and stood up to view more useless furniture.

"Why can't we got to another store that actually sells modern shit anyway? Why a bargain store?" River was getting dangerously close to whining and she hated that she was sinking this low.

"Because, we want to save money, that's why," he replied tersely, "Just because you are rich as balls doesn't mean we have to blow money."

"There is a reason all this crap is here, Eren," River said, "There is a reason nobody wants it."

River looked up at Eren and noticed that she didn't have his attention. He was staring intently at something and when River followed his line of vision, she knew coming here was one of the worst ideas she had ever agreed to.

"Fuck no, Eren, don't even think about it."

He glanced at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes before sauntering over to the offending item. The lamp was probably one of the ugliest she had ever seen. A black gorilla stood on its hind legs with both arms outstretched, holding two pillars for the light bulbs. The stupid gorilla was wearing a vest and River couldn't even believe that Eren would even think that this was remotely a good idea. She had never seen a more ridiculous looking lamp in her life. It even had a price tag that said it was only two dollars and River couldn't possibly imagine why it was that much or why it even existed. The damn thing was even wearing a fez. _  
_

"I like it," he grinned as he picked it up, "It could go on the table beside the front door."

"Jaeger, if you even think for a second that we are buying that I would even  _allow_ it to be in our house, then you are horribly and sadly mistaken," River said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, now I definitely want it," he said, "I think it would suit the place."

"Eren, the only way you could genuinely like that is if you were blind. Or stupid. Come to think of it, I might actually believe you like it."

"Cute," Eren said sarcastically, "Just for that, we are definitely buying this."

Before he could object, River snatched it out of his hands.

"Hey!"

"Jaeger, we aren't getting this. I'd sooner break it now because I know you will just come back for it just to annoy the piss out of me."

"You wouldn't break a lamp," Eren said confidently.

River raised it above her head and Eren's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, that's real mature," he snapped.

"Say you won't buy it," she threatened.

"No, I'm going to fucking buy it and then I will superglue the damn thing to the table."

"I'll will break this fucking ugly lamp right here in the store, you asshole."

" _Levi_ , give me the damn lamp," Eren hissed, making a pass at it.

"Say you won't buy it," she said, still holding it above her head and deftly dodging his attack.

"No!"

With that, she threw it with as much force as she could at the ground. She could hear several gasps from other customers as she did so and saw Eren's look of horror as the lamp hurtled to the ground.

Then, by some stroke of horrible luck, the ugly ass lamp  _bounced._

 _  
_There was a moment of stunned silence from Eren, River, and all the nosy bystanders before Eren whipped his head up at River with the world's most smug shit eating grin she had ever seen.

"It's  _unbreakable,_ River," he breathed, victory oozing from his pores.

"Fuck," was all she had to say.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Here is the lamp.](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3473/3860989730_a9269d8446.jpg)
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> After looking at a whole bunch of ugly lamps, it almost makes me want to start an ugly lamp collection.


	9. Quiet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He could feel her heart beating in time with his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little tidbit. It's Sunday and Sunday's are peaceful days usually so I wrote a nice peaceful chapter.
> 
> [Goodnight Moon](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZUIeu1Lzrc) by HeyHiHello

Eren sighed tiredly as he opened the door. There wasn't a sound in the house and there was a quiet stillness in the air that told him that River must be asleep. He removed his shoes and placed his keys on the table next to the gorilla lamp.

Eren had to admit that it was probably the most hideous lamp he had ever seen, but he could never really pass up a chance to rile River up. She had tried, on multiple occasions, to get rid of it in various ways, but Eren always managed to save it.

River's condo was admittedly huge. It had four bedrooms, which Eren didn't know why she would even need that many in the first place, as well as a large kitchen and living room. Eren couldn't help but wonder how lonely it must have been before he moved in. Even now, the emptiness of the whole place somewhat got to him.

He quietly padded to the kitchen to get something to get a glass of water before heading to the master bedroom. However, he spotted the TV was on. The back of the couch was facing him so even though he couldn't see River, he knew she must be lying down. He approached the couch and placed his water on one of the end tables before coming around to the front.

River was lying on her back with her laptop propped open on her chest. The screen was black showing that it had gone into sleep mode. Eren knew she did this sometimes when she was in the middle of writing or researching for her newest novel. Even if she never got out of her pajamas for the day, Eren noted that she had been working hard, even if it was a different way than he had. After all, it was her writing that got her this massive place.

Gently, he picked up the laptop and closed it, also setting it on the end table. He then turned off the television before crouching down next to her sleeping form. She didn't have her hair in a ponytail as she usually did which made her hair fly in every which way. He gently brushed the hair out of her face and smiled when he could see the peaceful look on it.

He debated on whether or not to carry her back to bed but she was a light sleeper and he didn't want to risk waking her. He reached for the blanket on the back of the couch and carefully laid it on her before standing. He was about to walk away when he felt a tug on his wrist. 

River was looking at him with one eye open.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Mmm," she replied. Suddenly, Eren was struck with an idea.

He maneuvered his way onto the couch and River let out a noise of complaint. He managed to lift her up for a moment while he slid underneath her. A moment later, she rolled so her face was pressed into his neck. He wrapped his arms around her and he could feel her heart beating in time with his.

"How was work?" she asked groggily.

Eren smiled. "Good. I got to scrub in on a microdiscectomy and a cardiomyoplasty."

"Dunno what that means," she yawned.

He chuckled lightly and said, "They are basically neurosurgery and a cardiac procedure. It was pretty awesome."

She hummed in response but said nothing more. He placed his lips on the top of her head and started stroking her obsidian hair. After a while, he felt her completely relax and her breathing even out, signaling that she had fallen back asleep. He smiled into her hair.

He didn't know if there was a God or not, but if there was, he thanked him for a quiet life and a second chance.

"I love you, Levi," he said quietly, "I can't tell you just how happy I am to finally hold you in my arms like this again. I can tell you that I'm not going to let you go ever again. If we are reborn again after this, I will still hold onto you just as tightly. I can promise that I won't leave you alone in this life or the next. I love you so much."

Eren was starting to fall asleep himself. He tightened his arms around her just to hold her close, drinking in the silence and the company of the person he loved most in the world.

What he didn't see, was the small, content smile from the raven-haired woman as she echoed his words her mind.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure how I feel about this chapter. :/ I'm not really good with words of affection but I hope I got the general feeling across.
> 
> Thank you all for your comments!!! They really make my day. ^.^


	10. Regress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But, just as life demands, nothing goes perfectly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry.
> 
> TW: Anxiety
> 
> Song: [Little Talks](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghb6eDopW8I) by Of Monsters and Men

River often cursed the fact that she was a light sleeper. It was a pain when a car alarm went off or when Eren's alarm went off which not only signaled that he had to get up, but River's inability to go back to sleep. However, sometimes it proved to be beneficial. Eren and River had been dating for a short two months but River felt as if she could live like this forever. She was content and thoroughly happy and even her editor said that he noticed a difference in her usually attitude.

"Granted, you still piss me off and have a generally shitty attitude, but that guy is good for you," Steve told her one day after a book signing.

It was a sort of honeymoon stage for them where nothing really went wrong. They where euphoric from finding each other and it was almost as if they were falling in love all over again.

But, just as life demands, nothing goes perfectly.

River had just gotten home that day from a short trip to Los Angeles. She had been exhausted and was glad that Eren had left some dinner for her in the refrigerator. She figured he must gone to bed and suddenly remembered that he had to be awake early in the morning for work. She quickly ate and showered before she collapsed into bed. She felt him move closer to her and kiss her ear before she succumbed to sleep.

The next thing she knew, she could hear a strange choking sound. She noted that the bed was trembling slightly and she opened her eyes sleepily. The digital clock on the bed table read  _2:48 a.m._  and she yawned before she realized the cause of the sound.

She sat up and turned Eren. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, bent forward with his head in his hands. It took her a moment to realize that he was trembling and the soft sounds were that of him crying and heaving shallow breaths. She was terrified for a moment, wondering what was wrong with the man, before she realized what was going on.

She reached to touch his back and he jerked away from her before turning his face to her.

"I don't want to fight anymore, Captain, please," he whimpered and River had never seen him look so terrified and pathetic in her life. He looked like a child all over again and she could feel her heart breaking.

"Eren, it's me, River," she said gently, "We don't have to fight anyone anymore remember?"

He started to sob again as understanding shown in his eyes and he continued to try and take deep breaths.  He turned around and went to his former position. River tried to wrap her arms around him but he shook her off once more.

"Don't...don't touch me," he said in a laboring voice, "Please." 

He was still shaking. It killed River, but she withdrew her arms and sat on her knees close behind him.

River remembered that he used to have horrible anxiety attacks. He would wander off and nobody would be able to find him as he rode them out alone. River always noticed that at first, he would only allow Mikasa or Armin around him. Eventually with time, Eren would cling to her for support as well. It was always terrible to stand by and watch for River. Even as Levi, she completely floundered, unsure of what to do. Mikasa had always been better at soothing Eren than River had and she was always envious of that.

River recalled what Mikasa had always resorted to when he had a particularly bad bout of anxiety.

"You know," River said, "They are going to start the casting process for my book soon. It's going to be interesting seeing my characters come to actual life."

Eren didn't respond so she continued, "I didn't ever really think I was going to be this successful, you know? It was just something I really liked to do. Writing wasn't really practical in the world we lived in before."

She cursed herself for potentially saying something triggering and decided to comfort him another way.

"You know, I have to take anxiety medication too. I didn't really want you to find out so I'm sorry from hiding it from you. It's stupid of me really since I plan to live with you forever...or whatever," River wasn’t really good with words she realized for the millionth time, "I went to a therapist for a while too. He said I suffered from PTSD but he never really knew the reason. It's not like I told him that I had a previous life. I'm sure he would have had a couple more diagnoses after that."

Eren's breath hitched and River could almost swear she heard a breathy chuckle. His shaking was starting to subside.

"I'm thinking of cutting my hair. Something really short."

"Why?" he asked in a cracked voice.

"It's hard to take care of this long. And plus, I could donate it to cancer patients. I mean it is long enough."

Eren was visibly relaxing but he was still trying to control his breathing. River tentatively put her arms around him again and this time, he didn't shake them off. She gently pulled him backwards onto the bed with her until his head was lying on her chest. She straightened her legs out from beneath her and stroked his hair gently. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and didn't say anything for a while. She could feel warm tears leaking onto her shirt and she whispered a faint and comforting "shh" as she continued to stroke his brunet hair.

"It's been a while since that's happened," Eren finally said thickly, "They were a lot worse when I was younger. It was almost to the point where my parents actually thought they were going to have to send me away to get better."

River didn't say anything for a moment. She knew there really was no getting "better" after the life he had lived. He had been too young and grown up too fast and lost far too many people to simply get "better".

Eren shifted to look up at her.

"I'm sorry."

"Why the hell are you apologizing?"

"I woke you up," he responded sadly, "I know you must be tired."

"Eren, you are more important than some damn sleep. I love you and I'm glad I woke up, brat," she said, "You can't do these things alone."

"I'm not a brat," Eren mumbled as he returned to use her chest as a pillow, "You can't call a grown man a brat."

"I can and I will," she replied.

Silence overtook them again and Eren's breath evened out to the point where she thought he had fallen asleep until he whispered, "Sing something."

"I don't sing. People with good voices sing," she replied simply.

"You had a good voice before," Eren said tiredly, "Please?"

River sighed and tried to think of a song before starting, knowing he would be asleep before she finished.

_"I don't like walking around this old and empty house..."_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a shitty week and so I wrote a shitty chapter. I'm sorry.
> 
> I honestly don't know how to write an anxiety attack from another person's POV. I know how it feels but I don't know what it looks like to someone else. It probably would have been better to write it from Eren's POV that way you could have seen what was going through his head, but I really wanted to write Levi. Comforting Levi is the best Levi.
> 
> Anyway, I felt like this was necessary because I don't think that anybody in this story who remembers their previous life doesn't have some scaring. SNK is fucked up man.
> 
> And seriously, thank you guys for over 1k views. I love you all!


	11. Pie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "That’s because New Yorkers aren’t friendly. We don’t have neighborhood grill parties, we don’t ask each other for cups of sugar, and we definitely don’t bake for strangers. People will think you are a weird stalker."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess what, as a little Thanksgiving treat, I'm giving you guys a new character. :D
> 
> Song is [Brighter Lights](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDEDS1ViKjg) by HeyHiHello!

River entered to the condo and immediately heard the sound of Eren cursing. Sighing, she followed the sound and found him in the kitchen.

It was, in short, a mess. There was flower and sugar everywhere. Two fully made cakes and about four dozen brownies were on the counter and there was dried batter of some kind splattered all over the stove.

"What the fuck, Eren?" River said as she took in her normally spotless kitchen. She was horrified.

He turned around with a burnt pie in his hands. He was a bundle of nervous energy, she noted. He was shifting from foot to foot and he looked over at the other baked goods.

"Hey, River," he said innocently, "Welcome home."

"What the  _fuck_ , Eren?" she asked again, "Why-how the hell did you manage to get egg on the ceiling?"

Eren glanced upward and cursed once more.

"Damn it, I thought I cleaned that up," he put the pie down on a cooling rack before dragging a chair over and stepping onto it to wipe it away.

"No, no,  _no,_ Eren," River spat, "that is  _not_  how you clean something up!"

He glanced down at her and shrugged. "I clean it up better later. I'm busy right now."

She clenched her hands at her sides before heaving another sigh trying to get her anger under control.

"Right. Busy. Busy baking. Why are you busy baking?"

"Because," Eren said, drawing the word out, "We have new neighbors downstairs."

"So?"

"So," he said, drawing the syllable out again, "I'm baking for them."

She stared at him for a moment before asking, "Eren, did anyone bake for you when you moved in here?"

"Well, no-"

"And do you think anybody brought me milk and cookies when I moved in here?"

"No, but-"

"That's because New Yorkers aren't friendly. We don't have neighborhood grill parties, we don't ask each other for cups of sugar, and we definitely don't bake for strangers. People will think you are a weird stalker."

"It's Historia."

That made River pause. 

"Historia. Historia Reiss?"

Eren nodded and River's head spun. She remembered the small girl with blonde hair and a sweet looking face. She, however, was probably one of the most fiery women that was in the Scouting Legion. She was a good soldier, River recalled. She had connections with Ymir as well.

 _More than that, those two were in love,_  she thought.

Silently, River rolled up her sleeves and joined Eren.

"So, what, exactly are you trying to make?"

* * *

A couple hours later, River and Eren were sitting in the dining room of a middle-aged blonde woman's house eating the apple pie they had brought. While the woman strongly resembled Historia, it was most definitely not her. They were both feeling increasingly awkward about the entire thing but the woman chatted away happily.

"I'm so glad that you two were so nice to bring us something. Both my daughter and I come from a small town and we didn't think anybody was going to be this friendly!"

"Uh, Mrs..." Eren started.

"Lenz. But you can call me Marta," she said kindly.

"Right," Eren nodded, smiling and nudged River with his elbow to do the same, "Marta. You have a daughter?"

"Yes. Krista," she smiled and River could tell she was extremely proud of her, "She's only sixteen but the reason we moved to New York at all was for her. She's a dancer. Ballet actually."

"Ballet? Wow," River said, genuinely impressed. She had done a fair amount of research on ballet for a book she had written and found it was one of the most rigorous things she had ever encountered. It took a great deal amount of poise, grace, strength, and tenacity.

"Yes, she's been at it since she was two," Marta smiled, "She starts classes with The School of American Ballet in September."

She put a bite of the pie into her mouth and made a noise of contentment.

"It's very good," she nodded then looked over at the clock, "You two should be able to meet Krista. She said she would be back soon."

At that moment, the front door opened and both Eren and River sat ramrod straight.

"Mom?" came a musical voice.

"In the dining room, dear!" her mother responded. 

The girl rounded the corner and stopped short when she saw the visitors.

"Oh, hello!" she said brightly, tugging at her side braid, "I didn't know people were coming over."

"Oh, they just stopped by to say hello," Marta answered, "They live the floor above us. They were kind enough to bring us pie. Come and join us."

She smiled at them. "I'm Krista by the way."

She looked at them expectantly and River realized that she was waiting for them to introduce themselves.

"I'm River and this is my boyfriend, Eren," she said, staring intently. She couldn't tell if Krista recognized the two of them or not. Krista noticed her gaze and pulled on her braid uncomfortably once more.

"Nice to meet you," she said politely before addressing all of them, "I can't stay long though. I promised Jillian I would meet up with her."

River was just about to tell her it was fine until Eren opened his mouth.

"Historia?"

There was a moment of silence before Krista turned fully towards Eren with a quizzical look on her face.

"I'm sorry, what?"

So she didn't remember them. Eren tried to hide his disappointment on his face but River covered for him.

"You just remind of us a friend we have. This dweeb has a hard time filtering what comes out his mouth," she said with a forced laugh that sounded pretty convincing.

Krista nodded but looked as if she was trying to recall something. She had a faraway look on her face before she eventually shook her head.

"Well, your friend must be very beautiful then," Marta said and River almost forgot she was in the room.

"Mom," Krista complained, embarrassment starting to color her face. Marta grinned.

"And smart. And talented. And-"

" _Mom!"_  Krista practically whined, "I don't think they came over just to hear you brag about me."

"Oh, on the contrary," River said, not being able to stop herself from teasing her former squad mate, "I love hearing proud mothers talk about their daughters."

She heard Marta chuckle and she was glad that the awkward moment was successfully diffused.

"I-I really have to go," she said more firmly before stepping out of the doorway.

"You might want to stay, Krista," her mother called after her, "I might show them your kid pictures. You were so cute in your little tutu!"

"Don't you dare!"

They all snickered at that and Krista ended up staying for a piece of pie, glancing at her mother distrustfully the entire time.

* * *

"That was fun," Eren said, once back in their own home. 

River agreed and for a moment neither of them said anything.

"What do we do?" he asked eventually.

"About?"

"About Krista. She doesn't remember."

River thought for a moment before saying, "Nothing. It's probably not so bad she doesn't remember anyway."

Eren looked down. "I just hoped..."

River sighed and cupped her hand underneath his chin.

"I know. But we can't force memories on her. She's alive and well and that's good enough, right?"

Eren nodded after a moment and looked up at her. He leaned forward to give her a kiss but she pushed him away.

"No, I know what you are trying to do," she said. He had the nerve to try and look innocent.

"I don't know what you mean," he replied.

"You are trying to make me forget about the giant fucking mess in the kitchen and that's not going to happen," she snapped, "I only let it go this long because I wanted to meet Krista as much as you."

Eren wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled his face into her neck.

"C'mon, River..."

"Eren, so help me, I will shove a frying pan up your ass if we don't clean it up now. I can't handle messes, you know that."

Eren sighed and released her.

"Fine," he said, defeated, "I'll go get the cleaning supplies from the closet.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how well I did writing Krista. Oh well! 
> 
> Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I'll be at work all day because corporate bastards decided that Black Friday sales should start at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving. That makes sense. -.-
> 
> But anyway, you all enjoy your holiday! :D


	12. Camera Shy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You should stop listening to that overly romantic bastard. I don't care that we don't have pictures, okay?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last day of November, baby! Here we go!
> 
> My pipes burst and got the room below it soaking wet which had all of my grandmother's photography in it. As I tried to salvage the thousands of pictures (which took 5 hours) I got the idea for this chapter.
> 
> Song: [Camera Shy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBk9y6I3YG8) by The Lucksmiths

Laughter filled the spacious condo. Auruo and Petra had come over for a dinner and they all were once again thoroughly enjoying themselves.

"I'll get the drinks," River said as she headed into the kitchen. Petra jumped up from her spot on the sofa next to Auruo.

"I'll help!" she scurried after the black haired woman.

"You guys have a nice place here," Auruo said to  Eren as he looked around.

"Thanks, man," Eren said, "But River paid for it really. I guess I'm just a freeloader."

"Not much has changed then."

"Hey, shut up!"

"You know it's true," Auruo said before he changed the subject, "You guys don't have any pictures really."

Eren looked over the room. There were some pictures of his family that he had put up around the house when had moved in and River had some of her and her mother on the mantlepiece above the fireplace.

"What are you talking about? I think we have plenty," Eren said, "Plus, River likes to keep things organized and uncluttered anyway."

"That's not what I mean," Auruo looked amused, "I mean you don't have pictures of the two of you. Together."

Eren paused and realized that he was right. Eren had never really thought to take pictures of either of them but in retrospect, he realized that he really wanted them.

"Dude, you suck," Auruo laughed, "Petra and I must have taken a thousand pictures together when we were dating. And I must have taken a thousand more of just her. They like that kind of thing usually."

"River hasn't really said anything about it..."

"Eren, really? You know her. She probably won't," Auruo shook his head, "Plus, it immortalizes the moment or whatever." 

"You are a really big sap, you know that, right?" Eren scoffed, "You are even more mushy than Petra."

"Oi! Shut up, Eren!" Auruo said as the women called them to tell them to tell them dinner was ready.

The entire night, however, Eren could only think how right Auruo was and how disappointed about the severe lack of photographs.

* * *

Feeding the ducks at the park wasn't Eren's favorite pastime but River thoroughly enjoyed it. Eren once had the nerve to call it "an old lady hobby" but he came with her each time anyway. 

This time he brought his camera phone with him.

Eren always knew that feeding the ducks calmed her for some reason. It was one of the few times he would see one of her rarest and most content smiles. That day, she was wearing her hair in a braid with a blue headband holding her bangs back. Eren had to admit that he liked it when her hair was out of her face.

"Eren, don't be so sketchy and come feed these birds with me," she said, holding a bag of bread crumbs out to him. He took it and halfheartedly threw the crumbs out to the waiting beaks.

He waited until he was sure she wasn't paying attention and pulled out his phone and snapped some pictures. He felt like a stalker, but the reward of seeing her enjoy herself "immortalized" on his phone was worth it.

She had a half smile on her face and was turning towards Eren when he snapped another picture. He tried to get away with one more but she had already ducked her head and held a hand out in front of her.

"What the hell, Jaeger?" she snapped, "Have you been taking pictures of me this whole time?"

Eren grinned at her. 

"Yeah."

"Why the fuck did you think that would be a good idea?"

"You know," Eren sighed, "You don't really need to include swear words in  _every_  sentence."

"Answer the question."

Eren shifted his weight to his other foot before answering, "Auruo pointed out that we don't really have that many pictures of each other. And I guess that we haven't taken any at all since we started dating."

She gave him a measured look. For lack of anything better to do, he lifted up the phone once more and took another picture.

"Eren! Dammit!"

Eren chuckled but lowered the phone as River's face showed faint traces of...embarrassment?

"You should stop listening to that overly romantic bastard. I don't care that we don't have pictures, okay?"

Eren definitely noticed that her cheeks were a bit pink.

"Erase those pictures."

"Wait, what?" Eren said, "No, I don't want to!"

"Eren,  _please_ ," she said in a pleading voice and Eren paused and looked at her. She averted her gaze for a moment before looking at him, trying to look contrite.

With that look, a realization dawned on Eren.

"You're camera shy."

She didn't deny it; just sighed and continued to look at him with a harder look in her eye.

"But you have pictures with your mom..."

"I can't exactly fight my mother to not take pictures of me," she stated, "And it was my  _mother_ , I wanted her-us to have something together before she, well, you know, died."

Eren was quiet at that but then shook his head.

"If it was the two of us, would you care?"

"Yeah, probably," she answered.

"What?! C'mon, River! Is it really that bad for me to want a picture of you?"

She shuffled her feet, an uncharacteristic move for her, Eren noted, before nodding her head.

"I don't like being reminded about the way I look," she said quietly.

It would have never occurred to Eren that she would be self-conscious about herself. She always carried herself with confidence and almost commanded people's attention, despite her short stature. Furthermore, she was beautiful. She had long, black, straight hair that he knew most women would die for and like in her previous life, she had a youthful look that never seemed to fade. He knew for a fact that she never wore make up, a fact which Petra lamented and even envied her for. The fact that she didn't like the way she looked appalled Eren.

"But, you're beautiful and-"

"Oh, Eren," she sighed, "That's not it. I just don't like me in pictures. I always end up looking...well, how I act I guess."

Eren didn't have a clue what she meant. River must have seen this and sighed.

"I'll take one picture with you if you promise to delete the rest," she bargained. Eren's face lit up and he nodded.

River came over and stood beside Eren, not looking pleased in the least. He positioned the phone so he could get a picture with the both of them but then noticed River wasn't smiling.

"River, you have to smile," he said.

"I don't have to do anything, brat," she responded in turn.

Eren could only think of one thing to say to make her smile and she would most likely hate him for it.

"River," Eren said softly, making sure he was smiling as he put his arm around her, "I love you."

He instantly hit the shutter button and managed to hit it twice before he received an elbow in the stomach.

"You shithead," she muttered before stomping over to the pond once more to feed more ducks.

He grinned as he massaged the sore spot on his stomach.

"You better delete all of them, you bastard. You promised," she said, back still towards him.

He went through the pictures with a heavy heart and delete them until he got to the last five. The one where she still had a small smile on her face but she had just noticed Eren. He had managed to get the tender look in her eyes before she had shifted to anger. Eren decided to keep that one secretly and locked it onto his phone.

He deleted the picture that was simply her hand in front of her face as well as the one where she was standing looking angrily at him and moved onto the next two. The first one showed the initial shock of hearing the words come from Eren's mouth, although you couldn't tell he had said anything from the picture. He was grinning in both of them but it was the second one he liked more so than the first.

River had slid her eyes over to look at Eren and there was a slight tinge of pink on her cheeks as well as a small smile. The look in her eyes was one he had only seen a couple times in both this life and their previous one. Eren recognized it as adoration and his heart swelled and he saved that picture and set it as his background picture. The picture had been taken at just the right moment and he knew that it was only by sheer luck that he had gotten it.

He couldn't contain the smile that grew on his face as River turned around. Her expression softened for a minute before she turned back to the pond.

"You know," she said throwing more crumbs, "We'll have plenty more opportunities to take pictures in the future as well."

Eren felt his heart beat faster and briefly wondered if Auruo was rubbing off on him.

He figured that he must be, because Eren's next thought was,  _Holy shit. I need to marry this woman._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This turned out longer than I wanted. 
> 
> I want to get to what I have planned as the Christmas chapter before Christmas but there is still a shit ton of other things that need to happen first. That being said, I will probably be updating like crazy and there isn't really accounting for quality.
> 
> At some point in time, I'm going to be putting up a character list of people revealed so far in the end notes. Won't really be that interesting but it will just let you know where we are at.
> 
> I wish I could write a better summary for the entire story but I suck at them. I'll get it eventually.
> 
> Thanks for reading you guys and I hope you enjoyed the chapter! You're comments keep me strong and I'm really happy you all are enjoying it so far!


	13. Balls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "People don't like to be told they're stupid by short, grumpy women who glare and swear a lot."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I write too many fluffy chapters. Maybe I should continue and then at the end rip your hearts out with the news that one of them has cancer and they will never be happy again.
> 
> But nah, I like happiness and flowers and shit so I will continue and this sugary road. Later though, there is some angst planned, but not until much later so enjoy while you can. 
> 
> I couldn't really think of a song but [Every Other Time](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Udj10D-lGI) by LFO kinda works??? I don't know. Anyway, here you go.

The television droned on as River and Eren took the first moment of that week to relax. Eren had been busy with emergency surgeries all week and River had been trying to manage all of her appointments and press since Steve had finally told her that he was her editor and her editor alone.

"I really need to find a personal assistant," River sighed. Her head was in Eren's lap and he was threading his fingers in her hair.

"You keep saying that, but you've turned down everyone you've interviewed so far," he murmured, eyes still on the TV.

"It's not my fault," she said haughtily, "They are all slackers looking for a job with me hoping they can meet other famous people."

"Or you are just picky," Eren teased.

"I just know what I want. Plus, they didn't seem to like me very much. I can't have someone working for me if they don't like me."

"What about Steve?" Eren asked. He knew the man liked River. He tended to care about her much like an older brother, even if he was hilariously angry with her most of the time.

"Sometimes it feels like I work for him, that bastard," she answered readily enough.

Eren thought for a moment before saying, "You know it's hard to like someone when they appear to be a short, grumpy, woman who glares and swears a lot. Maybe you should try being friendly sometimes."

"I am friendly, asswipe. They are just stupid."

"Did you tell them that?"

"Yes."

"Well, there's your problem," Eren sighed, "People don't like to be told they're stupid by short, grumpy women who glare and swear a lot. And they don't like to work for them either."

River twisted her head to look up at him and fix him with an angry look. He tore his eyes from the TV as well and looked down at her.

"What?"

"You're an ass," she replied. He shrugged, not really bothered by her insult.

"Yeah. And?"

"You are supposed to be supportive, you know," River huffed.

"I'm plenty supportive," Eren scoffed.

"No, you are calling me names and taking somebody else's side," she said. Eren shook his head.

"I'm trying to help you," Eren defended.

"Then find me a PA," she said shortly.

Eren sighed, "If you can't manage to find one, how am I going to find one for you?"

"I don't know. You are better at dealing with people than I am for some reason," she said, "It pisses me off."

"That's because you are a-"

"Eren, if you fucking say it again I'm really going to be pissed," River warned.

"Short-"

"Eren."

"Grumpy-"

"Fuck you."

"Vulgar-"

"I will squeeze your balls off so help me-"

"Woman," Eren finished, looking triumphant. His victory, however, was short lived when River calmly reached up behind her head, cupped him through his jeans, and then started squeezing.

"Fuck!" Eren yelled, "Stop, River that hurts!"

River turned her attention back to the show they were watching. Eren tried to pry her hand away from his dick but her grip only tightened. He cried out in pain and his eyes were starting to water.

"River! Seriously, you might just squeeze my balls off!"

"Good," she muttered, "Now shush, I'm watching the show."

Eren tried to squirm out from under her but that only resulted in her squeezing even tighter. He wasn't sure he was sure that she would continue to cause him immeasurable pain until he apologized. If they were in  their previous life, Eren would have grabbed her junk too and held on just as tightly, but he was sure that it wouldn't work like that now. So, he did the only thing he could do and placed both hands on her shoulder and pushed.

Within a second, she tumbled off the couch and landed with a thud onto the hard floor. Eren let out a sigh of relief as the unpleasant pressure disappeared and he defensively covered his crotch. The throbbing pain was starting to dull and he turned his attention to the heap on the floor that was his girlfriend.

She slowly picked herself up and leaned back onto her knees with a dazed and confused expression on her face. Eren wanted to laugh but it wasn't until she twitched her nose and shook her head from side to side that he lost it. She seemed to regain her sense of pride and fixed him with a glare.

"You," Eren wheezed as he laughed, "Looked just...like...a cat."

River was not so amused and stood up fully before turning and leaving the room.

"I'm going to bed," she huffed.

"Aw, River, don't be like that!" Eren said, still laughing, then paused, "Wait! Why am I feeling bad for you? You tried to squeeze my balls off!"

"You started it, moron," her shout came from the hallway.

"It really hurt, River!"

"Oh, just come in here and I'll make up for it, you big baby."

Eren blinked trying to figure out what she meant before the gears in his head started turning and he was off the couch and heading to the bedroom in record time.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, this is In This Life, The fic where proofreading doesn't matter and everything is made up. I did like zero research for this chapter and I'm sorry.
> 
> On another note, Levi is going to get a PA soon! Can you guess who it is??? I'm excited because it will bring yet another character into the fic (and they are one of my favorites).


	14. Easy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Those people, they are alive now. Alive and well. They live now because of what you did then."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, angst, I'm sorry. Next chapter will make up for it, I hope.
> 
> If it seems melodramatic, I used to have a friend who would go through the same exact thing. At the time, I couldn't help her and I wish more than anything I could have. 
> 
> This is a pretty heavy chapter.
> 
> TW: Anxiety
> 
> Song: [People Like Us](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWbMz_aBlMU) by Kelly Clarkson

When River woke up on a sunny Monday morning in July, she knew that she would not be leaving the bed.

Her head was foggy and she could not muster the energy to move her limbs. An inescapable and familiar feeling of despair and loneliness pinned her down and rendered her paralyzed. She knew she should move. She had things to do. Steve was expecting her for a meeting to discuss revisions today and the house desperately needed cleaning.

But she just couldn't bring herself to care.

Eren wouldn't be home until later in the evening and her heart sunk with this knowledge. She wanted someone but then again, she hated feeling weak in front of others and was glad he wasn't there. But the overwhelming feeling of loneliness was suffocating her and she had nothing but her thoughts to keep her company.

She couldn't cry. She didn't even know if she wanted to. All she could think of was the squads she had lost. She had been a failure of a captain really. One who continued to have soldiers die instead of them. One who never really told them just how they weren't only useful to humanity but also just how extraordinary they were. She supposed, in the end, she was a coward.

The clock continued its ever so slow pace as time went by. Still, all she could do was lay there, thoughts buzzing in her head and slowly killing her.

She was Humanity's Strongest. She had heard that title time and time again. It was laughable to her that the only reason she became Humanity's Strongest was because she was too weak to save herself from the Scouting Legion in the first place. She was glad she did. She had found a reason to fight for humans. But that also, turned sour. She wasn't Humanity's Strongest Soldier. She was Humanity's Strongest Murderer. 

People would argue that it wasn't her fault; she didn't know that they were people. But a life is a life. Guilt still gnawed at the edges of her mind constantly. It had been a twisted world she had lived in and she was equally as twisted. People had died because of her. There was no denying that fact. She hated how cruel that world was and sometimes, she hated remembering it. 

Her phone started ringing. She lazily turned her head to stare at it until it stopped. After a moment, it resumed ringing and she knew it was Steve calling. 

 _He's probably pissed I missed the meeting_ , she thought. The phone continued to ring until she got tired of its high-pitched tone and she reached over with an unusually heavy arm, picked it up, and threw it with as much strength as she could muster. It turned out to be enough.

 _Sorry, Steve_ , she thought mournfully.

She hated how she was. She was pathetic just laying here. She was just using excuses to stay in bed. There was really nothing wrong with her. This little meltdown was just her being over-dramatic. People dealt with actual shit everyday. Eren had seen his own mother killed in front of him. Auruo had seen the woman he loved crushed to death. The pain that she had, she had brought upon herself.

 _Technically, that's not true_ , she corrected but she couldn't bring herself to think anything else.

She didn't know how long she laid there until she heard banging at the door along with some muffled yelling. Of course Steve would come here. He would be pissed. He would yell at her for skipping out on an important meeting and he was right to

She had long ago given him a key to her apartment when this happened the first time. He hadn't heard from her in a week and knowing that she didn't exactly have friends to brag about, Steve had been worried. He had called a locksmith to open the door and found her half dead in the bathroom after she had given up on brushing her teeth. He had flipped, she recalled and demanded a key in case something like this happened again. And it did.

She heard the door open and slam shut.

"River! You better be in here! You fucking missed this meeting and if you don't have your fucking revisions done!"

He was obviously searching room to room, hoping to see her just in case she was hiding in some crevice somewhere. He eventually opened the door to her room and took in the darkness of it. He noticed River in the bed and glanced at the broken phone before sighing, realizing what was going on. He crossed over to the bed and pushed her hair back.

"Have you eaten?" the blonde man asks her. 

She looks at him for a long time before mumbling, "No."

"And I can take it that you haven't taken your meds either," her editor stated.

She didn't bother answering. He pushed her hair back once more before saying, "I'll be back. You need to eat, dumbass."

He left the room and she sighed. He really was too good to her for just an editor. She hated that she was troubling him once again when she really should get her shit together.

He entered the room again about fifteen minutes later with some soup. He puts it on the bed table.

"Sit up," he says. She doesn't move and he sighed once more, "River, sit up. You need to eat."

She doesn't want to, but she knows that eventually he will just sit her up himself and she doesn’t wish to humiliate herself further. She slowly manages to push herself up and before he can, she takes the bowl off the table and starts to consume the soup that she noted was chicken noodle.

He goes into the bathroom off the bedroom and she hears him open the medicine cabinet to locate her medication. He came back with two tablets and held them out to her calmly.

"I don't want to," River said, "I've started feeling better recently. I don't need 'em."

"You've been feeling better because you've been taking them, idiot," Steve tells her, but not as unkindly as his words seem. 

She sighs, not having the willpower to fight him on this one. She inhales the pills and takes a few more spoonfuls of soup before laying on the bed table once more. She slumps over into the sheets and Steve ever so gently pulled the covers up to her chin before he ambled to a chair that was sitting in the corner of the room.

Silence passed between the two of them before River muttered, "You can go. You probably have shit to do."

"Actually, I don't. You were the only thing on the agenda today," Steve answered. River knew he was lying. He never just had one thing to do in a day but she didn't call him out.

"Does Eren know?" his question cut through her like a knife. 

She curled into herself and buried her face into the pillow. In a moment of romanticism, she hoped that these incidents would stop when she met Eren. After dating for almost four months, nothing like this had happened to her. Eren had only suffered from his singular anxiety attack and he hadn't seemed too keen on bringing up the subject again.

"Do you want me to call him and tell him to come home?" Steve asked.

"No!" River answered immediately, then softer, "No. He's at work. He'll be home soon."

She could feel herself getting sleepy. With the the lethargy, came the emotions and thoughts she had been holding in.

"I'm terrible, Steve," she said, still curled into a ball.

"That's what you say, but you never say why," he replied. She knew she couldn't tell him. A single tear leaked out from her eye and she closed both of them tightly.

"Eren."

He didn't say anything, knowing that it was merely a cry for comfort. She knew that he wouldn't call Eren unless she asked him to so she repeated the name.

"Eren."

After that, the silence stretched on. River could feel her mind getting fuzzy from the medication. All the while, Steve didn't leave the room.

"You need to find yourself a nice man soon," River slurred. The man was way too nice for his own good sometimes even if he was complete ass to River. "You need to take care of someone who isn't me."

Steve let out a chuckle.

"Maybe someday. I'm too busy to worry about finding a boyfriend now," he replied.

"Don't...wear yourself...out," she replied breathily before falling asleep.

"Same to you, River," the man said.

* * *

Eren entered the condo, excited about spending the evening with River.

"River?" he called out. He took off his messenger bag and put it on a coat hook.

He heard the bedroom door open and turned to face down the hallway, smiling, but he only saw River's editor closing the door quietly. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion, wondering why the man was leaving her room in such a manner.

The blonde saw Eren and walked towards him quickly.

"What's going on?" Eren asked uncertainly. He was sure he hadn't gotten any calls or texts but by the look on Steve's face, something was wrong.

Steve didn't look like he knew how to answer the question and he scratched at his wrist.

"River...has these episodes," he started.

"Episodes?"

The blond man sighed. "She doesn't move. It's...like really bad anxiety. I'm not sure what the technical term for it is really. She's never really talked to me about it. But she doesn't leave the bed. I-I don't really know what goes on in her mind but she just...quits."

Eren remembered her saying that she had anxiety but she didn't mention the extent of it. He glanced at the bedroom door and then back at the editor.

"The first time it happened when I was here was fucking scary. I hadn't seen her for a week and when I finally managed to get into the apartment, she looked-well, she looked terrifying. It was terrible. She wasn't even clean."

If it had been anybody else, Eren would have laughed at that last statement, but he knew how important cleanliness was to River. 

"She's like this now?" Eren asked, panicked. Steve nodded. 

Eren tried to push past him but the other man grabbed his arm before he can make it far.

"Look, I don't know what exactly is wrong with her, but she was asking for you today."

"And you didn't call me?" Eren seethed.

"She didn't want me to. She knows how important your work is, Eren," he answered, "But that's not the point. The point is, this isn't the first time she's wanted you, but this is the first time she's had an episode since she met you unless you aren't telling me something."

Eren looked at the man, unsure of what to tell him. Saying that they knew each other in a previous life wasn't exactly something that was accepted in this society, however true it may be and Eren doubted that he could get away with saying that they had met previously.

Slowly, Steve let go.

"Whatever. It's none of my business. Just-take care of her. You're good for her," Steve said before turning to the door to leave.

Eren didn't wait to see him out and headed to the bedroom. He opened the door and immediately went to the bed and laid down next to River. 

She was curled up and sleeping soundly. Eren knew that he was usually a light sleeper and he wondered why she was sleeping so heavily. 

He brushed the stray hair out of her face and she didn't stir at first. She shifted slightly, moaning before murmuring, "Eren."

"Yeah, I'm here," he said softly.

She immediately threw her arms around him and started sobbing into his chest as she pulled herself to him. Eren wrapped his arms around her and smoothed her hair as he tried to soothe her.

It was surreal to be the one supporting her for a change. Usually, she was the strong one. He had never seen her like this and it scared him.

"I killed them. I'm not a soldier. I never was. Just a really good murderer. I even let my squad die," she was sobbing, "I'm a failure. I-I can't-it's-"

"Shh," Eren soothed, "I'm here."

She continued to weep into his chest for some time after that and Eren wished that he knew what to say to her. There were no words that could make her feel better. He knew she had always carried this guilt with her, even before. It wasn't something that would go away with just words.

"River," Eren said as her breathing became more controlled, "Those people, they are alive now. Alive and well. They live now because of what you did then. And so is your squad. It doesn't make it better, but I think if everyone could remember what happened, they would know they are alive now because of you."

River didn't respond but continued to heave deep breaths.

"You know, you are going to be embarrassed later about crying so much," Eren said lightly, taking his hand and tracing her face gently.

"'issnot my fault," she muttered, still calming herself, "Med'cation does screwy things sometimes."

Eren hummed. He continued to trail his fingers lightly on her face until she fell into a fitful sleep. Once she had, he pulled her closer to him and kissed her head.

"It's never going to be truly easy for us, is it?"

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know exactly what goes through a persons mind when this happens to be honest. It was scary as hell to see my friend who was normally cheerful and happy to go through something like this. If her mother wouldn't have isolated her from everybody, I'm sure she would be alright now. 
> 
> Anyway, I wrote this to show that they both have their issues. It's not all squeaky clean. 
> 
> That, and it was also a bad week. Sorry for the bad chapter. :/


	15. Wednesday Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Because dicks don't shoot blood out from your body every month."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was fun to write, actually.
> 
> You guys were really nice and supportive about the last chapter and I thank you immensely! It was a hard chapter to write.
> 
> Character profiles in the end notes just to let you know where we are at right now.
> 
> I guess the song will be [Recovery](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1L5zJ2afLs) by Frank Turner.

Eren had decided to stay home the next couple of days, calling in sick, which could only work so long until he required a doctor's excuse, which, in turn, would require him to go to the hospital. Be that as it may, he didn't want to leave River alone.

He had told her he had the next couple of days off to which she called him a "lying bastard" but didn't saying anything more about it. Eren suspected that she was grateful for the company even if she didn't talk to him. He spent most of his time in the bedroom with her. He decided to turn the TV that was mounted on the wall on to fill the silence. They never really used the television in that room, but Eren figured she must have watched TV in bed when she still lived alone.

Steve made sure to call and Eren assured him that he was taking care of her just fine and yes, she was eating and taking her meds. Eren had to admire the man for caring so much, and if he didn't know better, he would be jealous. Technically, he did know better, but was still irrationally jealous, even if he did know that the other man had no interest in women in the first place.

River remained as she was for three days in total until Wednesday morning.

Eren woke up to the sound of dresser drawers being slammed shut. He bolted awake, wondering what the hell was going on. He looked around the room and registered that River was awake and standing in nothing but a bra and underwear, pulling some pants on. She seemed to be having some trouble pulling the pants all the way up.

"River!" Eren exclaimed groggily, "What are-what are you doing?"

"Morning, Jaeger," she said briskly, still trying to pull the pants over her upper thighs. 

"Morning," Eren replied. In all honesty, he didn't know how he should respond. She had been cocooned in a blanket of depression for the past half week and now she was standing before him, freshly showered, half naked, and unsuccessfully putting on pants.

"I'm going to go talk to Steve and then I'm going to get a haircut," she said, hopping up and down to help herself into the pants better.

Eren stared at her as she did a little dance trying to get on her pants until she huffed in anger.

"Fucking pants won't fit..."

Eren thought he would try to be helpful and say, "They should. You don't look like you've gained any weight."

This, apparently, was the wrong thing to say. River whipped her head to face of him with a withering glare.

"Of course I'm not fucking gaining weight. I'm bloated, you dumbass," she snapped at him before finally wiggling into her pants. She sighed in relief.

"Oh," Eren said simply before opening his mouth again before he could stop himself, "River, the zipper is broken on those pants."

"FUCK!" she screamed before ripping the pants off and throwing them on the ground.

"You want to know what the shitty thing about being a woman is, Eren? You really want to know?" 

"Uh..." he wasn't sure how to answer without upsetting her further. He hadn't really asked but he was sure he was going to find out.

"Periods. That's the fucking problem. We get cramps, we crave things, our hormones are completely out of control, and  _our fucking pants won't fit._ " 

She pulled the dresser open forcefully and pulled out a couple articles of clothing before pulling out a pair of jean shorts.

"River-"

"You know what gets me? What gets me is the fucking white pants we had to wear in the military. Whose dumbass idea was that? You know, I really have to applaud the women for managing to keep their pants clean. They were fucking white! How the hell did they do that?" she quickly pulled the shorts on and seemed satisfied that they fit and dug through another drawer to find a clean shirt, "Not only that, but they must have fought while on their periods. Imagine the damn cramps they had but they still flew around on their fucking maneuver gear better than most of the men."

"I-" Eren started, but she cut him off once more.

"It's actually times like these that I miss being a man. I didn't have to shove a piece of cotton up my dick. You know why? Because dicks don't shoot blood out from your body every month."

Eren wanted to say that sometimes they did, but only if something was severely wrong. River pulled on her shirt and marched to the bathroom.

"You know what else periods are?" her angry voice came from the other room.

Eren figured that she didn't really want his opinion so he stayed quiet and waited for her to answer her answer herself.

"Messy! They are fucking messy. I should have just had a sex change or something. Being a woman is messy and I hate it. Fucking hate it!"

She came out with her hair in a pony tail and came over to the bed table to pick up her phone.

"And, not only that, but I have to shave my legs. I fucking hate shaving."

"You know," Eren decided to put in, "It's okay if-"

"No! I have to shave. I like being shaved."

Eren was genuinely confused at this point in time. "You just said you don't like shaving..."

She put her hands on her hips and glared down at him.

"I hate shaving, but I like being smooth. It's not that damn difficult. Fuck, I'm so horny right now."

Eren wasn't exactly sure how to respond to that statement. She looked as if she might jump him at any moment and he wasn't sure he could handle an angry and horny River this early in the morning. She bit her lip, considering the option before she turned to the door.

"Never mind, I'm more hungry at the moment. And fuck it all, Eren, you better stop skipping work," she said as she started to leave.

"Wait, River," Eren said, finally crawling out of bed. She turned towards him with a dangerous look in her eye before he continued, "There must be something good about being a woman, right? It can't all be bad."

She seemed to think for a moment before a sly smile grew on her face.

"Yeah. The orgasms are a lot better," she said before she promptly left the room.

Eren sighed and smiled, knowing that she was back to her normal self. He wanted to talk about it, but he supposed it could wait until later, when he didn't have work to go to and she didn't have meetings to make up.

Her last statement ringing in his ears, he also found inexplicably found himself wishing that if he was reborn again, that he would be a woman.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHARACTERS SO FAR:
> 
> Eren: 27-years-old, surgical intern, hasn't chosen a specialty quite yet, lives with River, remembers his previous life.
> 
> River: Levi reincarnated as a woman, 24-years-old, award winning author, “rich as balls” according to Eren, remembers her past at her mother's funeral
> 
> Petra: 30-years-old, married to Auruo, nurse at the same hospital Eren works at, close friends with River as well, remembers her past when she sees Auruo for the first time in this life
> 
> Auruo: 30-years-old, married to Petra, is an architect, met Petra at the hospital, a secret romantic, close friends with Eren and River, remembers his past when he was locked in an attic at 17
> 
> Connie: 19-years-old, lives in Nebraska, goes to college, searching for Sasha frantically, remembers his past the first time he had sex
> 
> Krista: 16-years-old, lives in the condo beneath Eren and River, her goal is to get into The Royal Ballet, does not remember her past, has no connection with anybody from her previous life except for Eren and River
> 
> ORIGINAL CHARACTERS:
> 
> Steve: River's editor, short tempered, swears just as much as River does, cares for River in an older brother way, approves of Eren
> 
> Marta: Krista's mother, proud of her daughter but likes to poke fun at her, kind to River and Eren, likes to give River relationship advice
> 
> *NEW CHARACTER ALERT* Next chapter comes one of my favorite characters in the series and I'm excited!


	16. Wednesday Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Unless you are British. Then you are distinguished as fuck."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aggghh, it took me a bit to get this chapter up. I would have had it done two nights ago but I got drunk and wrote a smutty LegolasxGimli fanfic with my friend, burnt my lasagna, and then cried until I got pizza. Then the next day, when I had half the chapter finished, my computer messed up and I had to restart. So, I'm sorry for the wait.
> 
> (*Spoilers*) Also, after the newest chapter of SNK, I realize that I wrote Krista's mother OOC and it bothers me. Oh well, different time, different attitude right? Plus, she's a bitch omg.
> 
> Song is [Uptown Girl](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCuMWrfXG4E) by Billy Joel just because Krista seems like one.

Ymir hated New York City. It wasn't just because of the continual bustle of people or the constant noise, day or night, but also the people in the metropolis were the most horrible people she had ever come across, and that was coming from her.

Everyday, she would show up at the cafe to do her job. People would come in, smile politely, and glance over the menu. Ymir would then say, “What can I get for you today?”, and their entire demeanor would change once they heard the thick Swedish accent.

Most days it was a mild annoyance. People would speak slower and use smaller words as if she were five-years-old. They would ask what part of Germany she was from or if it was hard for her to learn English. Then their were the customers that refused to be served by “illegal immigrants”. There was one that even went so far as to call her a Nazi, to which she promptly cursed that customer out and was placed on ninety day probation at her job.

In all honesty, the only reason she did this was to find Historia. She had spent a year backpacking across Europe, hoping to find some trace of her. She did everything from looking on the internet to asking everyone she met along the way to find her but there were no results.

Then came a hot Wednesday afternoon in July that at first had her wishing she had never woken up.

It started when her boss had yelled at her for not completing paperwork that technically should have been done by him in the first place. Then, a customer told her that she wasn't a “proper” American and if she was, she would have realized that “I said a large Chai Tea Latte, three pumps, skim milk,  _lite water_ , no foam, extra hot”. Why anybody would want something extra hot in the middle of summer was beyond her, but she managed to keep her mouth shut.

The final straw was when a customer's child, who had been taking advantage of the hot day at one of the cafe's outside tables in the front of the store, puked all over the table and an employee.

The employee, Megan, was apparently a very queasy person and started to dry heave. Knowing that it would only cause more trouble if she puked as well, Ymir quickly shoved her into the bathroom.

“Take off that shirt and clean up,” she told the girl, “I think I have an extra shirt in my locker in the back.”

After quickly locating the spare shirt she returned to the bathroom. Megan had already taken her shirt off and had cleaned herself off and Ymir threw the shirt at her. The other girl blushed and quickly put the shirt on.

“I'll go ahead and clean up the mess outside,” Ymir said simply before turning to leave.

“Oh, right, thanks!” she replied, “I owe you one. Maybe I can get get you a cup of coffee or something later...”

Ymir looked at her and hummed. She wasn't naive enough to not noticed that the other girl liked her to some degree. In some ways, Megan reminded her of Historia. She was a bit taller than Ymir and had dark curly hair that was almost always pulled back for work. As much as Ymir tried to deter her from having a stupid crush on her, Megan wasn't one to give up.

“I'll keep it in mind,” Ymir said curtly before leaving the restroom.

By the time that Ymir had gotten the appropriate cleaning supplies and rubber gloves, the customers apparently thought it would be a good idea to clear off, only placing a couple of napkins on top of the mess as if that would clean up the mess. Fortunately, nobody else was outside eating or drinking coffee so they didn't have to hear Ymir's string of curses as she cleaned the table that smelled worse than death.

She had just taken her gloves off and was about to head back inside when she heard a loud curse.

“...too fucking short. Dammit!”

Ymir instinctively looked over but then returned her attention to the task at hand before her brain processed what she had seen. She turned around and ran after the passing person before giving herself time to think and latched onto their arm, whipping them around.

The woman in question glared at her, obviously annoyed, but Ymir would recognize those cold grey eyes, the short stature, and the irritated glare anywhere. However, Ymir must have gotten something wrong, because even though the face belonged to Captain Levi, it was most definitely a woman in front of her and the woman did not seem to recognize her at all.

“I'm sorry,” Ymir said, releasing her hold, “I thought you were someone else.”

She squinted at the woman, sure that it was the same face but judging by her boobs, which were small, but definitely there, and the reverse bob haircut that framed her face nicely, she couldn't have been anything but female. Ymir considered the option that he might have just decided to become a woman. It was also a possibility that he had been reincarnated into a woman. If that were the truth, Ymir would never cease laughing at the situation.

“I'll just go, I guess. Sorry for-”

“Ymir,” the woman snapped in a noticeable French accent and Ymir froze, wide-eyed. It  _was_  him. Or her. Whatever.

Ymir knew that the captain wouldn't have a very high opinion of her considering that all of her choice in her previous life were questionable and not very helpful to mankind. This was one of the fears that she held with her, but she knew that if she could just find Historia, the small blonde girl that she had fallen in love with would accept her. Others, however, probably wouldn't.

Regardless, Ymir couldn't stop the next question.

“Do you know where Historia is?”

The short woman sighed as if she expected this question didn't answer.

“Captain, please,” Ymir spoke again.

She gave Ymir a level look and said, “I'm not a captain anymore, although I'm sure you know that.”

Ymir realized that she was trying to switch the conversation into a different direction.

“You didn't answer the question, Captain,” Ymir said. She wouldn't be distracted when it came to Historia.

Once again, the former captain sighed before saying, “I don't.”

“Liar.”

Ymir was an expert at lying. While Levi had a generally unreadable face, Ymir could tell when a person was lying. She could especially tell when a  _good_  person was lying.

She didn't deny it the accusation and only gave a calculating stare at the freckled girl.

Ymir was desperate. She was sure that Levi knew where Historia was and she would do anything to get to her, even beg.

With that thought, Ymir put away her pride and sighed herself.

“Captain, I know that what I did seemed wrong, but what I did was for her,” she said quietly, never dropping her gaze from the woman, “I know you are trying to protect her, but so was I. If you had the chance to find Eren, wouldn't you do anything to get to him? She's my Eren, Levi. Please.”

A moment of silence passed between the two of them before Ymir added, “If I have to, I will follow you around until I do find her. Don't think I won't.”

The black haired woman finally looked away and looked as if she were trying to make a decision. After a moment, a defeated sigh came from her and she looked back at Ymir.

“I'm heading to where she is now. You can come with me but I'm not waiting around for you.”

Ymir could barely contain herself and she ran back in the direction of the cafe shouting, “I'll be right back! Wait there!”

“Didn't I just say-Aw, fuck!” was her reply.

She barged into the cafe and sprinted to her locker and grabbed her wallet and put her hat, apron, and name tag into the locker before running back out. She nearly collided with Megan, who looked as if she were preparing to go home for the day.

“Megan!” Ymir exclaimed, “I need to cash in that favor from earlier.”

The girl furrowed her eyebrows.

“You want a coffee now?”

“No! Look can you cover for me? Please, it's important!” Ymir said impatiently. She only worked until four. It being two now, it would only add two more hours onto her shift. Whether or not Megan said yes, Ymir was still going, but she figured she had better cover her ass.

“I-I guess so. If it's important,” Megan said, seeming to be more than a little disappointed.

Ymir sighed and wasted no time in taking off with a hearty, “Thanks!”, as she left.

Fortunately, she found the short woman standing in the same place she had been. She raised an eyebrow at Ymir, but said nothing and turned on her heel, not waiting to see if Ymir was following.

 She flagged down a taxi and they both got into it. Levi gave the taxi driver directions and Ymir was surprised because she had heard about the condominiums that the taxi driver had just been directed to go to, but she would have never guessed that Historia would have lived there. How rich was she?

The two sat in silence as the taxi slowly navigated through traffic until the former captain said, "My name is River now."

Ymir nodded, not really surprised that she had a different name now.

"I will say this once. Whatever you did in the past is the past. I did some pretty shitty things too but I don't want people constantly reminding me of how I screwed up so I'm not going to do the same to you," River said, "But, I still feel responsible for the safety of my former squad members. I'm sure you understand."

Despite herself, Ymir couldn't help but feel relieved at her words. She was being forgiven. By one of the people that had probably been hurt the worst at her decisions and it relieved her.

"I've already found Eren, by the way. We live together," she continued, "And he's found Connie. If I recall, you two had some weird ass love-hate relationship going on."

She had not forgotten the idiot. They had been closer than what had appeared and even if they had spent most of their time verbally abusing each other, they understood one another to some degree. She wondered about Sasha and if he had found her.

River didn't say anything for a while until she said, "You smell like vomit."

"That's because some bratty kid puked all over the table and I was the one who cleaned it up," Ymir answered.

"And you touched me," River looked horrified at that fact. Ymir recalled that captain had been a massive neat freak.

"Relax, Princess, I had gloves on when I cleaned up," Ymir muttered. River didn't look any less disgusted and Ymir could practically feel her vibrating in annoyance.

"You sound like you hate your job," River noted.

"I do."

"Any particular reason?"

"Mostly because if you aren't born and raised in America, than you  _must_  be retarded," Ymir said sarcastically, "Unless you are British. Then you are distinguished as fuck."

River hummed in agreement. Ymir knew by her French accent that she must have experienced some of the same situations she had.

"My boss is the same way. I'm the 'assistant manager' but all that means is that I got a forty cent raise and do all of his paperwork and deal with shitty customers," Ymir said. She was complaining, she knew, but saying it out loud made her feel a bit better.

"So you are good with people," River surmised.

"Fuck no, but I know how to get shit done," Ymir corrected. River gave her a peculiar look as if she were contemplating something but then shook her head.

"How old are you, Ymir," River asked.

"Twenty-two. Why?"

"Historia, and by the way, she goes by Krista now, is sixteen. So don't think that you can get into her pants right away."

Six years. They were six years apart. It wasn't all that bad but Historia was a minor and it would be a couple years before the both of them could even consider a stable future together.

Something else about what the woman had said bothered Ymir.

"She calls herself Krista again?"

River sighed and glanced over at Ymir. "She doesn't remember."

Those words made Ymir's heart sink. She didn't remember. That was a good thing, right? She didn't remember her horrible childhood, didn't remember the bloodshed and horror. But then, Historia didn't remember  _her_. That pained her.

"What do you want to do?" River asked.

"What do you mean?" Ymir was perplexed.

"Do you have a goal than to just work at a a coffee shop for the rest of your life?"

Ymir thought about it for a moment before answering, "I play guitar and sing at a lounge on the other side of the city every other Tuesday. I suppose I'm trying to make a name for myself."

River once again hummed but didn't say anything else until they reached their destination.

The taxi stopped and the both of them got out.

"We are going to my place first. I have a casserole dish that Krista's mother let me borrow and I have to return it. Plus it gives us an excuse to get into their place."

So she lived here too, then. 

"Never would have figured you to be trading casseroles with mothers," Ymir sassed.

"Never would have figured you to drop everything in the name of love," River shot back. Ymir had to give her one there. 

The got on the elevator and Ymir had to ask another question.

"Historia's mother. Is she-?"

"She's different from before. The exact opposite from what Krista described her as in our previous life," River answered, "Krista is happy."

Ymir visibly relaxed at those words. The eventually reached River's floor and once they entered the condo, Ymir was directed to stand in the entryway as River got the casserole dish. 

When River returned, she opened her phone, dialed a number, and put the phone to her ear.

"Marta? Yeah, hi. Listen, I need to drop off this casserole dish before running some errands. Is it okay if I come down?"

Ymir waited and noticed that her heart rate was increasing at the prospect of seeing Historia soon.

"Oh? Alright. Yeah, sorry I missed you. Maybe next time," River said blandly, "Yeah, I'll tell him."

With that, she snapped the phone shut and Ymir realized she might not get to see Historia until River spoke.

"Krista's mom isn't home but Krista is. Congrats, you will get to meet her today."

If Ymir had been any other person, she would have jumped up and down from excitement. Instead, she was more than nervous to be reunited with the girl who didn't remember her.

"Come on. I don't need to deal with anymore lovestruck people. I already have Eren for that."

In almost no time at all, they were in front of Historia's door. Ymir must have been showing some sign of impatience because River muttered, "Relax", just before the door was opened. Once it was, however, Ymir suddenly became uncharacteristically cowardly, and ducked her head so the small blonde couldn't see her face.

"Hey, River! My mom said you were bringing a dish back!" she said in a chipper voice.

"Yeah, here you go," River said, extending her arm towards the girl. The blonde took it and then seemed to notice Ymir standing a little behind River.

"Who's this?"

River looked over her shoulder and almost groaned when she saw that Ymir was having a moment of self-doubt.

"This is my new personal assistant, Ymir," River said. 

Krista nodded and extended her hand to the freckled woman.

"Nice to meet you, Ymir," she said politely. It was then that Ymir decided to grow some balls and look at her. She looked her square in the face and took her hand and managed a small smile.

However, just as she did so, Krista's eyes became somewhat unfocused and she seemed to become unsteady on her feet.

"...Ymir...?"

With that, Krista promptly collapsed. Ymir caught her in her arms while River fumbled for the glass casserole dish before it shattered

 _Priorities_ , Ymir thought bitterly.

"Captain! What the hell happened?!"

River appeared to be in deep thought but unconcerned at the recent developments.

"I suppose," she said calmly, "We should probably lay her on the couch until she wakes up."

Ymir didn't understand how she could be so calm about the small girl collapsing, but she shifted her arms so they were underneath her and picked her up bridal style and took her into the condo.

Once she had laid her on the couch and made sure she was comfortable, she rounded at the other woman.

"What the fuck is going on? You were so protective over her a half hour ago and now you seem way too complacent!" Ymir was panicking, which was something she never did.

"I suspect," River said slowly, staring at the blonde on the couch, "That she regained her memories all at once after seeing you."

Ymir was confused. Could that even happen.

"When I regained mine, something of the like happened to me too," she continued, "Was it not the same for you?"

Ymir shook her head. "From what I can tell, I was born with my memories."

River hummed.

"I had a feeling it might happen like this," River said, "It's what happened with Auruo and Petra at least."

Ymir didn't know either of them very well. They had died before Ymir had ever really interacted with them, but she knew their deaths had always weighed heavily on Eren's mind.

She knelt beside the couch and pushed Historia's hair back and stroked her face.

"She'll remember everything," Ymir muttered, "I'm selfish enough that that makes me happy."

River didn't respond right away, and when she did, it wasn't what Ymir expected to hear.

"You know, I was serious about being my new personal assistant," she said, "If you want the job, it's yours. At least I know that I can tolerate you."

Ymir turned her head to face the woman.

"And what kind of job do you have that requires a personal assistant?" she asked shrewdly.

"I'm an author."

Well. That didn't really fit Ymir's perspective of her but she passed over that.

"What kind of author needs a personal assistant?"

"One that hates dealing with people."

"Didn't I say that I'm bad with people?"

"Yes, but you get shit done," River countered, repeating what Ymir had said earlier. Ymir considered it. It might not be too terrible working for the short woman. 

"You would get paid a lot more, I would make sure of that," River said, "And, you would be around me, which means, in turn, you would be around Krista a lot more than you could be if you kept your job now."

"I'll take it."

Ymir didn't even hesitate. She saw River smirk but paid no attention to it. She was sure that the woman was just as love sick around Eren that Ymir was around Krista. That's what tended to happen to people like them.

Ymir continued to stroke Historia's hair until she saw that her eyelids were starting to flutter open. Ymir held her breath as they opened completely and looked confusedly around the room before they landed on Ymir.

Before Ymir knew what was going on, She was pulled into a bone crushing hug, and hearing Historia sob into her shoulder.

"Ymir! You are an ass."

Ymir chuckled and wrapped her arms around the sobbing girl.

"Hey there, Historia."

She could feel her laugh from joy while crying and Ymir figured that New York City might not be so bad after all.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YAY! I've been so excited about Ymir coming into the picture. And Krista remembers! I thought it was going to better if she did but to be honest, I'm just really sad for her from the new update. That was fucked up.
> 
> That being said, I'm probably going to add a little mini chapter of Krista and her mom just because. Little baby Krista deserves to be happy. No sads.
> 
> And guitar playing Ymir makes me happy.


	17. Wednesday Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "...but as long as we get a second chance, I want to give second chances too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh gosh, I really don't have a song. I couldn't find one that I liked and that really fit with this chapter...oh well. 
> 
> *Edit*  
> [Forgiveness](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Lu5udXEZI) by Matthew West works I guess. I hadn't even heard of it until I was looking up songs that would fit this chapter. XD

When Eren received a text from River saying "We have company", He was expecting Auruo or Petra or even Steve. But the last thing he expected was to see Ymir sitting at the kitchen counter, arm slung lazily around Krista's shoulders, making jokes as all three of them ate Chinese.

"What the hell?" Eren said and they all turned their attention to him.

"Hey, I got you some too," River said, gesturing to a to-go box on the counter. Her hair was short now, the front of it only reaching her chin in some sort of reverse bob hair cut. Krista grinned at him while Ymir only looked at him before turning back to her food.

Eren only stared, shocked and confused as to why, exactly, Ymir was eating in the kitchen as if she  _belonged_  there. Eren wasn't sure what he was feeling, but he knew it wasn't exactly positive.

"Ymir?" Eren asked, as if his eyes were deceiving him.

"Yo," she answered nonchalantly.

"W-what are you doing here?"

"She's my new personal assistant," River answered, "And Krista remembers by the way. It was a big day."

"Hi, Eren," Krista said smiling, leaning against Ymir happily.

The scene was too relaxed for Eren. He know recognized that it was anger that was pulsating through him. Even if his anger was directly towards Ymir herself, her presence pissed him off. He had never really interacted with her before but she had still betrayed them. In the end, he supposed he understood, but she had been a  _titan_ and had told nobody. Not even to help humanity.

"I'll be right back," Eren said through gritted teeth before retreating to the master bedroom. 

He wasn't really surprised when he heard River enter the room after him.

"Okay, what the hell is your problem?" she asked after she was sure the door was closed.

Eren shook his head in disbelief. "My  _problem_  is that you decided that you would hire that traitor as your personal assistant. And to top it all off, you are just  _eating_  with her. Like it's no big deal!"

"It is no big deal, Eren," River replied, "And I thought that you of all people would be first in line to forget what happened in the past."

"She was a titan!"

"If I recall correctly, so were you," she shot back at him.

"At least I tried to do what was right. She was-"

"Doing what she thought was best for Krista," River interrupted him, "She's selfish and blunt and insensitive and she doesn't even try to hid it, but she has  _always_ looked out for that girl. It's partly thanks to her that we even succeeded anyway."

"You can try to rationalize all you want, but I'm sure you wouldn't feel the same if it was Annie sitting in your kitchen right now."

River gave him a measured look before sighing.

"Maybe not," she admitted, "Even though they were skewed, Annie, Bertholdt and Reiner did what they thought was right too. But things are different now. If Annie was trying as hard as Ymir is to be different, it might make difference. This is our second chance, Eren. Do you really want to be judged by the things  _you_ did then? Because I know that I sure as hell don't."

Eren looked away from her, knowing she was right. It was pointless to hold onto that life when it was over. But he couldn't shake the bitterness that clung around him. 

He was also shaken. If he was reacting this way, how would he react if he ever saw the other titan shifters? He had to admit to himself that he didn't hate them as he would like to. They had been responsible for his mother's death then, but he was just mostly hurt and betrayed. No matter how many lifetimes passed, he didn't think that he would ever forget seeing his mother eaten even if she was alive and well now.

River seemed to understand where his thoughts were going and she placed a hand on his face so he would look at her.

"Listen, it's not exactly easy for me either, but as long as we get a second chance, I want to give second chances too," she said, "And because I don't think you heard me the first time, Krista remembers."

Eren looked up at that, wide-eyed.

"What? When? How?"

"I brought Ymir over after she insisted on seeing her. Once Krista saw her, her memories came back," River shrugged, "Speaking of which, if we leave them too long, I can't guarantee that Ymir  _or_ Krista will control themselves. I'm going back to, you know, socialize. You can sulk in here or get over yourself and come out with me."

Eren winced at her wording but knew she was right.

He noticed her new haircut suddenly and threaded his fingers through the short length of it.

"It suits you," he said.

Eren saw the faint blush she had as she said, "Thank you, dumbass."

 

He took her hand and the came back to the kitchen together. It was awkward for a moment as they both sat down and Eren grabbed his portion of food.

"Well considering that I didn't hear Eren moaning like a girl, I can assume that you guys didn't have inappropriately timed sex," Ymir said offhandedly.

Eren choked on his food.

"Ymir!" Krista chastised, although she didn't look to upset as she hid a smile.

"Funny, Ymir," Eren said sarcastically, "Really."

"Come to think of it, Eren did moan like a girl when-"

"River, shut up, holy fuck!" Eren yelled as unsuppressed laugh came from Ymir and he was pretty sure he heard Krista giggle.

"You guys weren't exactly discreet," Krista added, much to the horror of Eren, who buried his face into his arms.

"Can we  _not_  talk about this?" Eren whined.

They laughed but dropped the subject.

"So, Eren," Ymir started, and if he didn't know better, he would say that she was nervous, "River told me that you talk to Connie."

Eren glanced over at her for a moment. He knew that she had been close to Connie even though most of their exchanges had been insults. Connie had been the most upset over her "betrayal" but eventually, even he came to see Krista's view on things. However, now, asking Eren in hopes of getting in contact with her old comrade who may or may not forgive her is what tipped the scale for him. She hadn't changed who she was, but she was different in this life. Maybe it was the same with the others.

The moment was tense as Krista and River said nothing, knowing that this was something the two of them would have to work out for themselves. Ymir sighed, thinking that Eren's silence indicated that he wasn't going to let her off the hook.

"Look, Eren-"

"Yeah, I'll give you his number before you leave," Eren said, "Who knows what he'll say."

Ymir nodded. The tension defused and she shoveled another bite in before she laughed.

"Okay, okay," she said, changing the subject, "I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

"What?" Eren asked, horrified.

Instead of answering, she lifted her left hand towards her and turned it so her thumb was facing him. There, around the knuckle, was a faded scar in the shape of teeth. 

"Ymir, what happened?" Krista gasped, looking at the marks.

She didn't answer and waited until Eren chuckled and raised his left hand as well and compared it to hers, both hands having identical scars.

"I should have figured," Ymir said, "If I was stupid enough to try it, I should have known you would be too."

"You guys tried to turn yourself? Didn't it hurt?" Krista asked the both of them.

"Damn right it hurt, especially when you don't heal yourself right away," Ymir answered, dropping her hand.

"And, you only end up with a mouthful of blood and a screaming mother wondering why you tried to bite your thumb off," Eren added.

"You both are idiots," River muttered as she took a drink.

"Yeah, maybe," Ymir shrugged, "But at least we know we are one hundred percent human now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there we go. Eren and Ymir are cool. Krista and Ymir and hot lesbian lovers again. River and Ymir are more alike than I originally intended. And Connie and Ymir...well, we will have to wait and see.
> 
> Heeeyyy, is anybody wondering where Armin is??? Because he's gonna show up soon; either next chapter or the chapter after that and I'm thinking it might be a longer chapter than the other ones I've written. I'm slowly but surely adding more and more characters. :)


	18. Love Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The stark contrast of her mother's attitude disturbed her greatly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mini chapter that I felt was necessary after the newest SNK update. 
> 
> MANGA SPOILERS. Just thought I would let you guys know.

Krista checked to make sure she had everything in her purse before she left her room. Tonight was the first night that she would be able to see Ymir sing at the quiet lounge and she was supposed to meet up with her before for dinner.

In the short few weeks that had passed by, her and Ymir had been spending as much time as possible together. It wasn't hard now that she had a job with River. Once September came, however, Krista knew she would be even more busy with her ballet and school.

They weren't dating, technically. Ymir was six years older than her and Krista wasn't sure exactly how her mother react to the two of them going out.

Speaking of her mother, Krista wouldn't lie and say she wasn't avoiding the woman. Ever since she regained her memories, seeing her face almost made Krista want to puke. She didn't hate her. Krista doubted she could ever hate her now even if she had before. Her mother now had always cared for her, hugged her, encouraged her, and seemed to love her.

But no matter what Krista did, she couldn't get the image of her mother's face looking at her with hatred and disappointment, wishing that Krista had never been born.

She managed to get to the front door without her mother noticing. It wasn't as if she was sneaking out. She was sure her mom didn't care if she went out with her "new friend" but  she didn't want to face her.

She opened the door and yelled back into the house, "Mom, I'm going out!"

She had every intention of slamming the door behind her before her mother could respond, but suddenly, her mom's hand was on her shoulder, holding tightly.

"Wait, Krista," the older woman said, "Can I talk to you before you go?"

"I'm kinda in a hurry..." Krista muttered.

"It'll be quick," Marta returned, "Please, sweetheart."

Krista considered making a run for it but she knew her mom would just be waiting until she got back. She sighed and stepped back into her home and shut the door behind her.

They both stood in the foyer awkwardly until the older woman looked down at her daughter.

"Why have you been avoiding me?"

"I-I haven't..." Krista said. She shuffled awkwardly. She knew that it wasn't her mother's fault. But then again it was. She didn't know how to feel and it was all so confusing.

"Did I do something wrong?"

Krista looked up at her mother. All she could see was concern and hurt. Concern for Krista and hurt from the lack of communication. They had always been close because they were all each other had. Krista's father was an important political figure and Krista had been a careless mistake in his eyes, but he had always sent them plenty of money, almost as if he were buying their silence. Marta, however, never viewed Krista this way. At least, not in this life. The stark contrast of her mother's attitude disturbed her greatly.

"Do you love me?" Krista whispered.

The older woman looked taken aback by the question. She looked as if she would laugh it off until she saw that her daughter was being serious. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"Krista, of course I  love you," she said, pulling the younger into a hug, "What is this about?"

Krista didn't say anything. Instead she let loose a shuddering sob. Marta's arms tightened around her daughter as Krista began to cry.

"Every day that goes by, I love you more and more. You are my daughter and I love you with all my heart," she murmured into Krista's ear.

"What about...before...did you love me then?" Krista asked through heaving breaths. She didn't know what she was saying. She didn't even know if her mother remembered that life. If she did, she wasn't sure if she would feel better or worse.

Her mother pulled back and looked at her. Krista searched her face but all she could see was confusion in her eyes.

"Before...when?" she asked, "When I first found out I was pregnant?"

Krista shook her head and let out heavy sigh before she pulled her mom back into a hug. The woman held her and let out a comforting "shh" as she stroked her daughter's hair.

Krista eventually calmed herself down and released her hold on her mother. The woman took Krista's face in her hands and wiped away the tears.

"No matter what, you are my daughter and I love you," she said, looking into her eyes, "I accept you even if you are dating that Ymir girl. Although, she's a little old for you, don't you think?"

Krista stared at her mother in shock. She thought this whole thing was about her sexuality. Krista couldn't stop herself when she started laughing. She bent over, clutching her sides, leaving her mother even more confused than before. It was more of a relief that her mother didn't know what she was talking about. To mistake it as her coming out was somehow comical to her. 

One thing was certain, and that was that her mother truly did love her in this life, and that was enough for Krista. It didn't make everything immediately better, but it was a start.

"Krista...what...?"

"Nothing," she said, sobering herself, "It's nothing. Ymir and I aren't dating, Mom."

"But you both want to be," the woman responded with a knowing look, "Don't think I don't see the way you two look at each other. I don't like how old she is, though. Don't you think someone younger-"

"Mom!" Krista said, embarrassed.

"Alright, alright," Marta conceded, "I don't exactly approve of the age difference, but she's a nice enough girl I suppose. Don't you two dare think about having sex. So help me Krista, I-"

"I'm leaving now!" Krista said as she wrenched the door open.

"I'm serious, Krista! It's illegal and I don't like the thought of my daughter-"

"We don't do anything, okay?" Krista interrupted and then immediately realized that she had inadvertently confessed to her mother about her feelings.

Judging by the mischievous look on the woman's face, she realized it too.

"I'm going now," Krista mumbled and her mother laughed.

On the elevator ride down to the main floor, she pulled out her phone and texted Ymir.

_My mom is different from last time. She actually loves me._

_  
_It never took long for Ymir to respond.

_thats a good thing right?_

_  
_Krista thought about it before replying, _Yeah. :) I'm on my way now, I'll see you in a few._

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, some reconciliation for those two. 
> 
> Next chapter, we get to see what Armin has been up to! Let the good times roll.


	19. Good Person, Bad Person

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "But if you keep seeing yourself as the person in your past, you are blind to how you have grown. That makes you bad for anybody, even yourself."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [I'm Still Into You](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OblL026SvD4) by Paramore
> 
> Just a note, but "Micah" is pronounced "Mee-ka". Three guesses as too who Micah is. :3

The blonde shifted as she started to wake. She turned her head to face the man that shared her bed and let a small smile grace her face. She lifted herself up and leaned on her elbows as she she bent over his face before gently kissing his nose.

His eyes fluttered opened and he groaned at being woken up. She smirked as his blue eyes found hers and his frown turned into a slight smile.

"Morning," she said in a sleepy voice. She laid her head down on his chest and listened to his heartbeat.

"Morning," he yawned, his British accent still evident as he spoke, "It's a bit early, isn't it, Annie?"

Annie hummed happily and didn't say anything. She thought of it often, but she couldn't believe that she had gotten a second chance with the man she loved. She had gotten a second chance with Armin.

* * *

It was her Junior year in high school and all she had heard about was the new exchange student that was coming. Being raised in a small town in Illinois, it wasn't hard to imagine that he was going to probably be pretty popular. She always heard the girls swoon as they talked about how he was from England and how they would probably die when they heard his accent.

It wasn't that Annie didn't care, she just felt bad for whoever the poor bastard was. Then again, he would have girls climbing all over him, so she didn't think he would suffer too badly. She honestly had other things to attend to. Her judo classes, volleyball practices, her part-time job, and trying to figure out how she was going to juggle all those as well as school when September arrived.

The first day of school came around a lot sooner than she had anticipated of even wanted. Even though she had a lot to worry about academically, she was always grateful for the simplicity of this life. Most of her peers complained about how a teacher was too rough or how much homework was being assigned, but she reveled in the fact that she could learn things and that she didn't have to fight for her life.

She first saw him in the hallway walking beside Bruce Hamilton. The Hamiltons were the ones that were supposed to be housing the exchange student, so it didn't really surprise her that their son was showing him around. However, when she saw him walking around the school, she couldn't help but scramble after the pair.

At the last moment, she realized that it might not be a good idea to reveal herself in the middle of the school hallway. So, instead, she decided to follow them. Like a fucking stalker.

They both eventually ended up in the main office and the blond boy said something to Bruce before heading into the principal's office. This is when Annie took her chance.

"Bruce," she hissed as she sidled alongside him. She watched the hulking boy jump in surprise and let out an unmanly sound.

"Fuck, Annie, what the hell?" he yelled.

"Mr. Hamilton! Language!" the secretary eyed him from behind the desk. He muttered an apology before turning back to the small girl half his size.

"What do you want?" he asked her. Even though he was a year ahead of her, they had known each other since childhood and he knew that she didn't generally approach someone unless she wanted something.

"Let me show the new kid around for the rest of the day," she demanded.

At that, the boy threw his head back and laughed.

"Do you realize how many girls have already asked me that today?" he asked her, "Fourteen. Fifteen, including you. Everyone wants a slice of the foreign kid."

"I don't care that he's foreign. Just let me take him off your hands for a bit."

"No can do, Annie. You don't even have any classes with him anyway. You are a Junior and we are both Seniors," Bruce answered, holding up a sheet that showed a schedule.

Before he could object, she ripped the paper from his hands and scanned the sheet before grinning triumphantly and shoving the paper back in his hands.

"I have Economics with him which just so happens to be out next class, so there," she gloated.

"No way, you are in a Senior class?"

"No, asshole. They had to combine classes because of budget cuts, remember?" Annie answered shortly, "Now let me show him to his next class."

The boy rubbed the back of his head and shook it.

"Sorry, Annie, but I'm supposed to-"

"Bruce, if you don't let show him around, I will take your balls and glue them to the flag pole and then kick your ass," Annie threatened darkly. The secretary once more scolded them for their language, but Annie didn't apologize.

He chuckled at that. He knew he didn't really stand a chance against the small girl. She had always trained to to take people down while his training was only for sports. He also knew she had the balls to do it too.

"You wouldn't want to make a bad impression on the new guy, would you?" Bruce asked shrewdly and Annie growled.

She sighed and resorted to something she didn't really want to do.

"If you let me do this, I will put in a good word for you with Tara."

Bruce glared at her, knowing that he was done for at that statement. He eventually sighed heavily and shoved the sheet that held the schedule on it into her hands.

"Promise?"

"Promise," she confirmed.

"Fine," he huffed before ambling away, "Don't you dare forget."

She didn't respond and leaned against the wall as she waited for the boy to come out. She fidgeted nervously, suddenly regretting insisting on showing him to the next class. She knew that once he saw her, he would look at her with that look again. She didn't know what she was trying to accomplish by talking with him again. Maybe she wanted some validation that she wasn't a bad person now.

All her life, she had been trying to be a good person. Anything from donating to charities, volunteering, ringing bells for Salvation Army. It was against her character to care so much, but she wanted to prove that she wasn't a monster anymore. That she could be a good person, like Armin.

_I don't like the terms "good person" or "bad person" because it's impossible to be entirely good to everyone or entirely bad to everyone. To some, you are a good person, while to others, you are a bad person._

 

He had said that to her so long ago. Maybe just all this time, she was trying to be a good person to him.

The door to the principal's office opened and out came the blond boy smiling and thanking the principal as he left. He turned and stopped short when he saw Annie. His brow furrowed in confusion and he looked around.

"Um, where's Bruce?" he asked slowly. That wasn't exactly the reaction she was expecting. With a sinking feeling, she faced him fully.

"He had some shit to do," Annie said, not even bothering to make a valid excuse.

"Oh, o-okay," he said before clearing his throat and and extending his hand, "I'm Armin Arlert."

Instead of taking his hand, she walked towards him until she was standing right in front of him, her face looking up into his. He leaned back from the sudden intrusion of his personal space, looking severely uncomfortable.

"Armin, don't play dumb," she said evenly, "You know who I am, don't you?"

The boy stared down at her, wide-eyed. An awkward moment passed between them before he spoke again.

"I-I'm sorry. Should I?" he said, taking a step away from her.

It was as if all the air had been sucked from her. He couldn't be serious. She remembered, why didn't he? There was no way he had simply forgotten. She knew that she wished she could forget her previous life. Had he successfully forgotten his?

She stared at him intently. He shifted nervously under her scrutiny until she turned on her heel.

"I"m Annie Leonhardt," she said as she started walking, "We have our next class together."

She didn't look over her shoulder to see if he was following but he caught up and started walking beside her.

"Oh, you're the scary-I mean intimidating girl," he said.

She glanced over at him. "Yeah, I'm the scary girl."

"I didn't mean it like that. That's just what Bruce says."

"Bruce only says that because I can kick his ass in a half second," she said breezily. Armin chuckled at that.

"I bet," he responded before asking, "Are you a Senior too?"

"No, I'm a Junior," she answered before stopping and turning to face him again, "Do you really not remember me?"

Armin looked at her as if trying to think hard about where he could have known her from before shaking his head.

"I'm very sorry. Where would we have met?"

Annie sighed.

"Nevermind, let's just get to class," she said before she turned to walk to class again.

"You are very strange," he said, falling beside her again, "Strange and scary."

* * *

The next day, Armin caught up to Annie in the hall on the way to lunch.

"Hey, Scary Annie," he said, smiling at her. She blushed slightly but made a noise of recognition.

"I was wondering if you would fancy sitting with me at lunch. You are one of the few friends I made, so-"

"You must have not interacted with a lot of people if you consider me a friend," Annie said, then winced at how harsh it sounded.

"Well, you did show me around yesterday. And actually talked to me like a normal person instead of the cool new exchange student. So I thought that even if we weren't friends, we could become friends," he answered.

Annie considered this before asking, "Will you be sitting with Bruce and the rest of the football team?"

"Well, we can-"

"Great. I'm bringing someone along then," she said and Armin nodded.

She turned and headed over to the lunch line where she saw a tall dark girl leave with her tray.

"Tara, we are sitting with the football team today," Annie said as she grabbed a hold of the girl's arm and dragging her over to the table.

"Wha-? Annie, what the fuck?"

Armin was just sitting down at the table next to Bruce and Annie sat across from him. After a moment, Tara sat next to Annie, grumbling under her breath. Bruce couldn't look any happier and Armin smirked at the boy before turning to Annie and giving her a smile that made her heart race.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, Armin and Annie had taken to studying together. Armin was planning on becoming a lawyer which Annie thought suited him. He worked hard at his schoolwork but it was somewhat comical to Annie that he was completely horrible at Economics. He argued that it was because the economic system in America was "rubbish" but she only waved him off and teased him more.

In the beginning of October, they were both working silently at Annie's house. Her parents were out at their jobs, so Annie didn't have to worry about them embarrassing her in front of Armin like the did every single time he came around. She had gotten them some water and were sitting down at the coffee table working.

"So," Armin drawled, breaking the silence, "Bruce says there is a dance coming up?"

Annie didn't look up at him but nodded.

"Homecoming. It's fun, I guess," Annie replied, "I've gone once with friends."

"Oh," he said, "We don't really have homecoming back home so I don't really know..."

"But you have dances, right?" Annie said, "You must have gone to one of those. At least asked a girl to one or something."

The thought made Annie a bit angry, but she pushed it away. Armin scratched at the back of his head.

"Ah, well, I wasn't really well liked back home," he admitted, "I was bullied a lot in primary school until my friend Micah came along. Even after that, though, I've always been known as the nerd."

Annie looked up at him. He wasn't unattractive or even nerdy in her opinion. He had strength emanating from him just as before. His hair was shorter than before and was somewhat messy, as if he ran his hand through it a lot. His blue eyes seemed to see everything and she wouldn't be surprised if he had picked up on her subtle crush on him.

"Well, you are really popular over here with the girls," Annie said, returning to her homework, "I mean you are blond, British, and-" _handsome_ "okay-looking."

"Okay-looking," he echoed, chuckling.

"And British," Annie said again to emphasize that point, "Chicks here love British accents."

"Do you?" he asked shrewdly, leaning forward. She looked up and noticed that he was a lot closer to her face. She couldn't bring herself to move away.

"No," she said flatly, "British people piss me off."

"Which is why you are always so keen to be around me," Armin smirked.

"Whatever," Annie said, trying to fight the blush that was threatening to show, "It's only because you are better at Math than I am."

"So, if I asked Sarah McChesney to the dance, you wouldn't be bothered?"

Annie pursed her lips and tried not to look too upset that he was considering the cheerleader to the dance.

"So you would be bothered," Armin said cheekily.

Annie finally managed to look away.

"A little," she admitted.

"What if I decided to ask you?"

She stayed silent for a moment as she tried to find her voice before answering.

"I might be a little less bothered."

* * *

After the dance, they both started dating. Annie was happy, even if she refused to say it. Sometimes, though, she would show it with gentle kisses and her small smiles that her peers "awwed" at.

Thanksgiving and Christmas passed in a flurry of excitement and Annie spent most of it with Armin and her friends.

It wasn't until mid-January that they decided to have sex.

Annie was nervous and so was Armin. It was awkward and strange and nothing like what she thought it was going to be, but it wasn't bad.

However, it wasn't until after, as she laid with her head on his arm with her body turned towards him, that the reality of the whole situation crashed down on her with three simple words.

"I love you," he said.

She raised her head and looked at him. He smiled at her nervously, awaiting her response.

But when she looked at him, she didn't see the eighteen-year-old exchange student studying to be a lawyer. She saw a fifteen-year-old boy, looking up at her with betrayal in his eyes, knowing that she was the monster that killed their comrades.

She sat up quickly and swung her legs over the bed, reaching for her clothing. She had pulled on her underwear and pants on before he sat up as well.

"Annie, I don't understand. I-"

She forced the words out. "This was a mistake."

She couldn't bring herself to look at him and pulled on her shirt quickly, forgoing her bra. She quickly grabbed her coat.

"I'm sorry, Armin, but I can't-you shouldn't-I don't deserve to be loved by you," she said before leaving the room.

She rushed down the stairs of the Hamilton house. She didn't know where Bruce's parents were, but Bruce had taken Tara on a date somewhere, although she was sure that he knew what was happening tonight.

She quickly put on her boots as she heard Armin calling after her. She couldn't stop the few tears that overflowed her eyes and made watery pathways down her face.

Before she could turn back, she ran out the door.

She had been planning on walking back to her house, but it was too cold. She would have to call a cab, but then she realized she didn't have any money. She figured that if she called a friend, they would be more than willing to pick her up. She had just pulled out her cellphone when a hand appeared on her arm and turned her around.

In front of her was Armin, looking discombobulated and hurt.

"Annie, what the hell?"

Annie didn't have an answer for him. She couldn't answer him. Not when he didn't remember. If he did, he wouldn't have touched her the way he did or said the things he said to her.

"Why? Why did you say that? What's going on?"

Annie shook her head and tried to turn away, but his hand held fast.

"Answer me!"

Annie gave him a pained look as she spoke.

"I'm...not good for you."

"That's horseshit, Annie. You-"

"Listen to me!" she yelled, and he went quiet, looking at her with wide eyes.

"I'm not good for you," she yelled, breathing heavily in an effort not to cry, "I've caused deaths and I've hurt those I've loved and those who've loved me. I'm...a monster. You don't realize it but I am. You can't love me because I don't deserve to be loved by someone like you. The things I've done...I'm not good for you, Armin."

Armin said nothing after her outburst but released her arm. She bowed her head and let tears flow freely on her face. Snow had started to fall and Annie cursed how cliche it all was.

"If you keep judging yourself by your past, you will never be good enough for anyone," Armin said after a while, "You are trying to change and be a better person now."

"But it's only to-" Annie started desperately, trying to make him understand, but he cut her off.

"It's only to prove to yourself that you can be a good person," he said knowingly, "Let me tell you a secret, Annie. Nobody does good things just because they want to. Everyone gets a reward out of it. Whether it's recognition, money, or just the satisfaction of knowing that you did a good thing. We are bad people with good habits. That's all we will ever be. But if you keep seeing yourself as the person in your past, you are blind to how you have grown. That makes you bad for anybody, even yourself."

"Armin, I-"

"Let me be the one to decide if you are bad for me or not," he continued, "And if you still feel that strongly about how bad you are for me, let me be a good person to you, then."

She looked at him before flinging herself into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair.

"I know you don't think you deserve to be loved by me, but I know you deserved to loved by me," Armin said.

"How?" her voice cracked.

"Because I love you," he answered simply.

"That's a bullshit answer, Armin," she mumbled into his chest.

"Yeah? How do you know that I deserve to be loved by you?"

She didn't reply but clung tighter to him.

The answer was simple, of course.

Because she loved him.

* * *

"You are going to be leaving soon," Annie said on a warm May afternoon, "You have to go back to the UK and go to a university."

Armin squeezed her hand.

"Well, I was thinking..."

Annie looked over at him. "You were thinking?"

He smirked. She hated that smirk sometimes.

"Armin, you bastard. What is it?"

"I'm just going back home for the Summer," he answered, "Then I'm coming back to America. I'm going to go to the University of Chicago. I've already been accepted."

"You asshole! And you didn't tell me?" Annie asked angrily, "You knew that's where I was planning on going and you didn't think that I would-"

"Then, we'll be closer together," he continued as if she hadn't spoken, "You will finish your last year of high school, then maybe we can get an apartment together in the city. It will take a while; I'll be going to Law school. And I will have a lot of debt. But after that, or before that, whenever we are ready, we could get married and I will be a lawyer like I've always wanted, and you can be a journalist, like you've always wanted."

Annie was dumbstruck. He had put a lot of thought into their future and had basically just proposed to her. After a minute, she cleared her throat.

"You still should have told me," she muttered and he only laughed.

* * *

They had been living in Chicago together for four years now. Annie had only just graduated college and finding a job in journalism was proving harder than she thought. College loans were demanding to be paid and Armin couldn't help much now since he was still in Law school himself.

They had gotten married, but it was only a small, casual wedding since they really could afford anything else. Armin's friend, Micah, came from overseas to be there and to Annie's horrible realization, Micah, was in fact, Mikasa.

The first time they met was awkward and tense, especially since Micah remembered what had happened, but they both couldn't discuss it in front of Armin. However, Micah, proved to be forgiving. Granted, it was after some hand-to-hand combat, which Armin wholeheartedly disapproved of.

Now, laying on his chest, Annie couldn't feel more at home, or more of a good person.

She was a good person because she loved him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to include Micah and Annie's first meeting but I'm just so damn tired and I will write it next chapter. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's the longest by far.
> 
> I can't write smut worth shit. But I might try soon. Should I? I don't know.


	20. First Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Feel free to continue to beat the shit out of each other."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short little chapter here. What I was going to add in the last chapter but it didn't really go with the flow.
> 
> Eh, I didn't really pick out a song for this chapter specifically but I did see Frozen today and "Let it Go" by Idina Menzel is stuck in my head and that kind of fits, right?
> 
> This chapter goes back in time somewhat from last chapter.

She shifted nervously in the passenger side of the car. She knew Armin could sense the somewhat tense atmosphere as the two people he was driving tried hard to act normal. She took a glance at the dark haired man in the back seat only to see him glaring at her. She quickly looked forward quickly and awkwardly.

Armin finally said that he wanted to marry her, but first he wanted his closets friend Micah to be there. Not having much money in the first place, they had both decided to just go through the Justice of the Peace instead of having and actual wedding.

Annie had her suspicions about his friend Micah, but it wasn't until they reached the airport that it was confirmed that Micah was Mikasa, just in male form. What was worse, he seemed to remember Annie, judging by the harsh looks and pointed glares.

However, both of them managed to be civil towards each other for their "first" meeting with polite smiles and a little too tight handshakes. Annie knew Armin was a smart guy; he would pick up on their feelings towards each other soon. Micah seemed to understand this as well.

Nevertheless, both of them were almost silent as Armin chatted happily, overjoyed to have his two most treasured people in the car with him.

"Do you guys care if we stop at the store first? We need to pick up some groceries before heading home," Armin said. Annie hated to admit it, but Armin was a much better cook than she was. Therefore, he was the one who was going to be making dinner for Micah.

"I don't mind," Micah said as Annie shrugged.

Not even ten minutes later, they were at the store. Armin was fussing, looking for ingredients, as both Annie and Micah carried baskets. After a moment, he turned to them.

"Hey, I need to get some other things that aren't on this list," he said, handing it to Annie, "You two get the rest of the stuff and I'll meet you in the front, alright?"

Before Annie could object, he walked off. Armin wasn't stupid and neither was she. He had picked up on the fact that they didn't seem to like each other and forced them into a situation together. Alone.

Annie looked at the list.

"Uh, it says that we need oregano so-"

"Annie," Micah said simply, commanding her attention. She winced a bit but looked over at the man. "You remember me, don't you?"

Annie looked him in the eyes and nodded. He stared at her for a long minute before a dark look passed in them.

"Just why do you think that it was a good idea for you to be with Armin?"

The question cut Annie. She had asked herself the same question over and over again, but she supposed she was too selfish to walk away. He definitely deserved someone better than her and Micah's presence only reminded her of that fact.

"Mikasa, I-"

"Shut up," the man said harshly, "I can't believe that you would  think this is alright, Annie. You know what you-"

"Stop it!" Annie yelled before taking notice of the other customers and lowering her voice, "Just...stop. You don't think I know what I did?"

"Then you know you are just taking advantage of the fact that he doesn't remember. What are you after?"

"Nothing," Annie said, "And I'm not taking advantage. I just..."

Annie couldn't find the right words to say. Micah was telling her all the things she had thought about already, hitting ever sensitive area, whether he knew it or not.

"We trusted you, Annie. Eren and Armin...they trusted you the most," Micah growled, "And all you turned out to be was a traitor and-"

"And what?" Annie snapped. She had heard enough from the dark-haired man. She looked defiantly at him and continued, "And what? Do you think you are more worthy of a second chance than I am? Last I checked, you killed in that life as well. So what makes you more worthy of a better life than me?"

He looked taken aback by her words before his expression shifted to anger.

"Eren-"

"I'm trying to be a better person. A good person, for Armin and damn it all if he doesn't make me feel like a good person," Annie interrupted, "I don't deserve it, but I still want it. I'm not going to hurt anybody this time."

She paused for a minute, expecting him to say something. When he didn't, she continued on quietly, "What would you have done, Mikasa? If Eren had never been there for you, and relying on the titan power was all you had. If everyone else had failed you and that it was the only way to make things better. What would you have done?"

He looked down at her with an unreadable expression. She knew they had never gotten along in their previous life, but she knew they were both willing to try, if only for Armin. Annie knew that he would never fully approve of her, but she didn't want to be hated for something that she regretted. Especially since she hated herself for it.

"Isn't that why you joined the Scouting Legion anyway? Because you couldn't lose your only sense of stability?" Annie said at last. She knew she had struck a nerve when a desperate look crossed his face.

"He's my family," he said.

"And they were mine," she responded.

They stared at each other levelly before Micah said, "There was once a way that we settled things."

Annie nodded. Just at that moment, Armin came back into view.

"Did you guys even get anything?" he asked before he noticed the atmosphere that was even more tense before he left. "Is...everything alright?"

"Fine," they both answered him.

* * *

Once they got to Armin and Annie's apartment, Annie and Mikasa made short work of clearing the living room.

"Wait, what are you two doing?" Armin asked, suddenly starting to panic. He didn't like the look of their faces.

Instead of answering, Annie tossed a stopwatch at him.

"Time us, Armin. We get three minutes," she said simply.

"Wait, you aren't going to fight each other, right?" Armin asked frantically. When they didn't answer and only started to stretch out their muscles, he looked desperately between the two of them. "You two are mad. You can't fight each other. What about protective gear? I'm sure whatever disagreement you have, you can just talk-"

"We already talked," Micah said simply.

"Just time us, Armin," Annie said, finally getting into a firm fighting stance. Micah did the same and they both waited.

Armin hesitated before he sighed worriedly and said, "One...two...three...go!"

* * *

Half an hour later and much yelling from Armin's part, the both of them stopped. Annie could feel the bruises that were beginning to form and judging by the way Micah was rubbing his ribs, Annie's well placed kicks had caused some damage as well.

"I can't  _believe_  you two!" Armin was yelling, "You give me a bloody time limit and then you don't even stop when I tell you it's been three minutes. I've had to sit here waiting for you guys to stop physically abusing each other. Can't you two work out your issues like  _normal_ people. I should have figured putting to semi-violent people in the same room would only bring trouble."

Annie and Micah just looked at him before he sighed and said, "At least  tell me who the winner was."

"Neither of us," Micah said simply.

"It was a tie," Annie added for good measure.

Armin gaped at the two of them. Annie had to hold in a laugh at his expression before he turned beet red.

"Are you  _fucking_ kidding me?" Armin said as he threw the stopwatch on the ground, "You fought that long and there wasn't even a bloody winner? What did you even accomplish? You know what, you two are mad. I'm making dinner. Feel free to continue to beat the shit out of each other."

With that he stomped out of the room leaving Micah and Annie staring after him. Annie couldn't hold the smile of amusement off her face. She looked over at Micah and noticed that he was wearing a similar expression. He glanced over at her and she averted her eyes for a moment before looking back at him, her smile gone.

"Look, Mi-"

Before she could finish, he extended his hand towards her. She looked at him shocked. This was more than the forced polite handshake that they had shared earlier. This was Micah telling her that he forgave her to some extent. Him telling her that he was willing to give her a second chance.

Hesitantly, she took it.

"I still don't trust you," Micah said to her, not releasing her hand.

"I still think you are too much like a guard dog," Annie responded.

Micah smirked a bit before letting go.

Armin may not have seen what good it might have done, but Annie knew they had accomplished something. 

She had proved herself to be a good person to Micah, and that was enough.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did zero research for this chapter which is why we don't see their fight. I'm not really familiar with fighting techniques and I didn't want to look them up since I have to work early in the morning. I'm sorry. 
> 
> I've decided not to write smut in right now but that could change in the future depending on if you guys want it or not. Next chapter we get back to River and Eren, though.
> 
> And Christmas is getting closer and I'm much farther behind than I was planning on being. I really want to align Christmas in the story and actual Christmas so I will be working hard on it.
> 
> Anyway, happy Friday the 13th!


	21. For Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Want to tell me why there is shit on my floor?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Gone, Gone, Gone](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oozQ4yV__Vw) by Phillip Phillips :)

"Eren, what the fuck is that?"

Eren looked up at her as he was kneeling down with toilet paper in his hands. He looked between her and what was on the floor as if debating on whether or not he could play it off.

"It's...nothing," Eren said slowly.

"Bullshit. Want to tell me why there is shit on my floor?"

"Because-"

Suddenly, a black puppy sauntered around the corner. It approached River's leg and licked playfully at the bottom of her pants before rolling over to its side, panting and looking up at her.

"Jaeger, what the  _fuck_  is that?" River asked for the second time in the span of thirty seconds.

Before he could answer, Ymir rounded the corner swearing. She stopped and smirked when she saw River.

"I don't know where you've been, but you missed some important calls and I also set up a book signing in Chicago at the end of January," She said, "Oh, and Eren got a dog."

 Eren took this opportunity to quickly pick up the waste on the floor and try to sneak away.

"Oh, no. This is not happening," River said as she stepped over the rather large puppy and followed Eren through the house. She heard the dog get up behind her and try to follow but then she heard Ymir say, "Hold up there, buddy" before grabbing him.

"River, just bear with me here-"

"No, Eren. Dogs are messy. They chew, they shit, they piss, the drool, and they need to take walks," River said harshly, "It's almost like taking care you when you are sick."

Eren walked into the bathroom before dropping the clump of toilet paper in the toilet and flushing it.

"Funny, River, really," he said as he washed his hands, "But hear me out."

She placed her hands on her hips and waited until he turned around. Once he did so, he cocked his head and looked at her quizzically.

"What?" he asked.

She gave him an irritated look. "You told me to hear you out, so this is me, waiting to hear you out."

"Oh, usually you just...okay," he said, looking confused before continuing, "We just have this huge space and its just the two of us. So, I thought that maybe a dog would be good for us, you know. It will make the place seem less empty. Ymir helped me pick it out."

River made a mental note to fire her.

He stepped around her and out of the bathroom, not giving her a chance to respond. Once again, she followed him.

"And who is going to end up taking care of this dog, huh?" River asked.

"We will! The both of us," Eren responded. He went into the kitchen and got a glass from the cupboard.

"No, I will have to. You are at the hospital all the time," River pointed out.

"That's not my fault!" Eren said defensively.

"Technically, it is," Ymir countered as she entered the room, "Told you she probably would have preferred a cat."

"I have a job to do. And cats aren't as companionable as dogs are," Eren said as he filled his glass with water from the sink.

River looked over at the dog in Ymir's arms. 

"What kind of dog is it anyway? It's too damn big for a puppy," River asked. She hated dogs, in all honesty, and had never really been good with breeds. It wasn't a slobbery as some of the other kinds she had seen but that still didn't mean she liked the thing. Its large ears flapped as it shook its head.

"Well..." Eren took a big gulp from his glass and took his time swallowing.

"Oh, for fucks sake," Ymir said, "Stop stalling, Eren."

"Shut up," he snapped before turning back to River, "It might be a Great Dane."

"Might?" Ymir scoffed.

"Great Dane?!" River screeched, "Eren why the hell did you think it would be a good idea to get a fucking huge dog?"

"He wanted to get a Mastiff," Ymir put in, "But I talked him down."

"Ymir! Not. Helping," Eren said through gritted teeth, "And he's not huge. He's just a baby."

"Dogs grow, you fuckwad," River yelled, "No. We are not keeping it. Absolutely not."

"River-"

"If you want a pet so bad, get a goldfish or a gerbil. No, scratch that, gerbils smell. A goldfish or a turtle."

"River, please-"

"No, Eren! We are taking it back today!"

Eren fell silent at that. Ymir raised her eyebrows but looked amused at the domestic dispute the two of them were having, waiting to see how it would end.

After a moment, Eren plucked the dog from Ymir's arms and turned it so it was facing away from him. He looked at River with the most morose expression she had ever seen.

"Please, Levi. Please?" he said pleadingly and then he said the two words that she could never say no to when the came from him, "For me?"

She could say it. The word was at the tip of her tongue. If she could just say it this once, he would know that he couldn't use that line on her anymore. But then she made the mistake of looking into his impossibly green eyes that looked so full of hope and longing. She gritted her teeth and looked at the confused dog looking at her and damn her if that dog didn't have green eyes too. She returned her gaze back to the man and his expression was getting more and more desperate. 

She could do it. She would say no. Even to that face.

"Fine," she groaned, "but you better have that damn thing trained and if it ruins  _anything_  in this house, it's leaving. And if I have to clean up after it, it's leaving."

Eren's expression morphed into one of pure joy.

"I knew you would come around! I love you, River," he said excitedly, coming closer for a hug. She danced out of his reach before turning around.

"Don't touch me, I'm pissed right now," she said exiting the room. Ymir started to follow, most likely to tell her about the calls she had missed.

"You love me and you know it," Eren called from the kitchen.

"I can't believe you fucking caved," Ymir said.

"I bet you can't say no to Krista so shut the fuck up," River spat, "And I should fire you for helping him pick it out."

"Geez, touchy," Ymir responded, "But you wouldn't fire me. I'm the only person you could stand to hire, remember?"

"Don't you have a job you should be doing?"

Ymir only laughed and said, "Aye aye, Captain!"

And with that, Eren and River's first summer together came to a close.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously, if you ever say "For me?" to me I will undoubtedly do what you want me to do. It's my magic words that I can't say no to. That's how I committed my first murder.
> 
> I feel like this is the end of of the first part (arc?) of this story. I'm still trying to get to the Christmas chapter in record time! I hope you liked it!


	22. The Senator

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> River now knew who it was on the other end of the phone. Even though the phone distorted her voice, she couldn't mistake it now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Hello Goodbye](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBZ8ulc5NTg) by the Beatles just because I feel in a throwback mood.

At the beginning of September, River was awakened by her bedroom door banging open. She bolted upright, thinking it was Eren but then remembered that he had left earlier that morning for work. As her eyes adjusted to the morning light, she saw Ymir standing at the doorway. The new dog was laying in Eren's spot and barely gave a glance to the door before he huffed and went back to sleep.

"Fuck, Ymir," River mumbled as she sank back down into her bed and covered up her head, "I should kick your ass but I'm too tired."

"Then you can kick my ass later, but I have something important to show you," she responded, uncharacteristically serious.

"Don't you have the day off today?" River's muffled voice came, "Go home."

"I checked my mail this morning," Ymir continued, "And look at the junk mail I got."

"Why do I care about your junk mail?"

"Just do it!"

River groaned and uncovered her face and took the piece of paper that she was holding. She looked at it, and at first it seemed like another useless campaign flyer. Suddenly, she sat up quickly once more as she read the name.

_Vote Erwin Smith, The Man Who Gives His All For The People!_

She stared wide-eyed at it as she took in the horrendously photo-shopped picture of the blond man she knew so well giving his "you can trust me" smile. For the first time in a long time, her brain couldn't provide her with the words she was looking for. 

"The slogan is kind of stupid," Ymir said, "But that's not what matters, obviously."

River looked at the flyer a moment longer before she tore the covers off of her and practically leaped out of bed.

"Ymir, get me that number for his home," she said as she walked to the bathroom, "I don't care how you do it. I'll pay you overtime. I'm taking a shower."

She didn't even give Ymir a chance to respond before she closed the door and quickly turned on the water. She didn't wait for the water to cool down before she ripped her clothes off and submerged herself.

Erwin. That bastard had been so close. She had often wondered where the man was. Did he think of her ever? She knew he would, if he remembered. There was no guaranteeing that he actually remembered the past. Be that as it may, she had no choice but to believe that he did remember for the time being.

She knew even Eren didn't understand the complete nature of their relationship. It wasn't as if they had been lovers; that had been Hanji's department, as subtle as the two of them tried to be. But he had trusted Erwin wholly and completely. Even after the rough start of their relationship, she had always known deep down that this was a person to be reckoned with. He gave her the freedom to lead but also the ability to trust in things she did not fully understand until they had come to completion. That was how she knew she could trust him, even when his actions and words did not line up. Even when his face was distant and cold. Only two other people knew him as well as River did and that was Mike and Hanji.

She stepped out of the shower and quickly dried herself before entering her bedroom. Ymir wasn't there anymore and she quickly threw some clothes on before looking over at the bed, realizing that she still had to take the dog out.

"Dammit," she muttered to herself before she beckoned the dog to follow her.

She passed the kitchen to see Ymir on her laptop.

"Hey, you got anything?" she said, grabbing the new leash Eren had bought.

"Only an office number with his private extension," Ymir said, "I haven't called it yet, but you want his home number. That might-"

"Give me the office number and extension."

"Uh, okay," Ymir said hesitantly before she wrote down the numbers on a scrap piece of paper before handing it to the woman. 

River snatched it up and entered the hall to put her shoes on. She clicked her tongue and the dog came towards her and she snapped the leash onto his collar.

"Have you given that thing a name yet?" Ymir asked as she rounded the corner.

"No, but I'm sure Eren will come up with something stupid," River said before turning to leave. "You can go home and enjoy your day off."

"But I thought that you wanted me to get his home number?"

River paused at the door. For some reason, there was a knot twisting in her stomach once more. it was almost as powerful as the time when she had talked to Eren the first time again. She realized she was scared to face him.

"Perhaps...I'm being too hasty," River said lowly.

Ymir didn't say anything for a moment. But then she opened her mouth.

"Bullshit. Don't pussy out. I know what it looks like because I didn't want to face Connie for the longest time and it was fucking stupid because he's an idiot and forgave me anyway. If I can face Connie, then you can sure as hell meet your closest friend again."

She bit her lip but then nodded.

"Still, go home. I'll be fine for today," River said.

Ymir sighed but agreed and soon River was on her way to the park with the new dog in tow.

* * *

She had found a quiet place in the park and sat down on the bench there. She was struck by how there weren't any children around when she remembered that school had started. 

River pulled the number out of her pocket and stared at it. She could wait until she got home to call it. That would probably be best. She stuffed it back in her pocket.

She heard a whine and looked down at the dog that was looking up at her almost judgmentally.

"Shut up," River spat, "I  _will_ do it."

The dog continued to look at her and she rubbed her forehead, ashamed that she had actually talked to the dog as if it were a person.

The dog whined again and seemed to look at her sternly.

"Fine!" she huffed as she pulled out her cellphone and the number.

She quickly dialed before she had the chance to turn back. She placed the phone up to her ear and silently panicked as she heard the ringing tone of the phone. After a few rings, an automated voice came on.

" _Thank you for calling our offices. We have no available operators at this moment. If you have your party's extension, please dial it now. If you need assistance or-"_

She didn't bother listening to the rest and punched in the extension. A few more rings sounded before a perky woman answered.

"Hello! Thank you for calling the office of Erwin Smith! How can I help you?"

"I need to talk to Erwin Smith, please," River said, surprised that her voice didn't waver.

"Um, I-I'm sorry, but he's in a meeting right now," the girl said, sounding unusually flustered, "Did you have an appointment or is this an emergency?"

There was something off about her voice but River shrugged it off.

"No and no. Do you know when he will be out of his meeting?" River asked.

This time, she sounded nervous, "I'm really not sure, ma'am. Can i take a message?"

River debated on whether or not to leave a message. She could call back later but there wasn't any guarantee that he wouldn't be busy then either.

Before she could say anything else, she heard a loud slam on the other end of the receiver that seemed to be a door closing. A faint, " _See ya later, Amanda_ " was heard and the girl squeaked in response.

River furrowed her eyebrows at the exchange she just heard but then said, "Just tell him Levi called and I'll give you my number."

"Wha-? Oh! Right," the girl said, getting back on task, "Wait...your name is Levi?"

River almost laughed at how skeptical her voice sounded. It was a bit of a stretch for her to say that she had a male name but there were much stranger things in the world.

However, before she could even respond she heard yelling on the other end of the phone as if it were coming from a long way off. The secretary answered with a quick, "Yes," before River heard another voice.

"Give me the phone! Give it to me!"

"Uh, Mrs. Smith, I-"

"Hello?" a feminine voice sounded into the receiver and River was starting to suspect who this other person was. "You said your name was Levi, yes?"

"Correct," she answered tersely. She couldn't believe her luck for that day. Was it really even possible?

There was a minute pause before the new woman continued with a mischievous voice, "Well,  _Captain Levi_ , you are severely lucky that I decided to surprise my husband with office sex today and was leaving just as you called."

River now knew who it was on the other end of the phone. Even though the phone distorted her voice, she couldn't mistake it now. 

"Shitty-glasses."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was supposed to be all one chapter but I had a party and only wrote this much. 
> 
> And I stuck with the nickname that seems really popular for Hanji when Levi talks to her.


	23. The Senator's Wife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It may have been a horrible life, but the bonds we made can't be broken. Not in this life or the next"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo, this chapter took forever and I only have a week left to catch up. I'm trying.
> 
> Song: [Home](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoRkntoHkIE) by Phillip Pillips

River sighed and looked at the clock on her phone once more. She didn't really have to go anywhere, but waiting for the the four-eyed freak to meet him at the park.

_"Tell me where you are. Where? Okay, stay right there. Don't move!"_

The dog had taken to lying down on the grass beside the bench and had fallen asleep in the time she had been sitting there. It had been quite a walk here and she figured that it was probably best that the puppy got some sleep now. She found that the dog didn't have much stamina and she didn't particularly want to drag it home.

She was once again a bundle of nervous energy as she thought of the fact that Hanji and possibly Erwin were coming here. She decided to tie the leash to the arm of the bench and stand, stretching out her muscles before pacing back and forth.

She didn't know exactly why she was worrying once more. They were her friends. She had already met Petra and Auruo and she was nervous has hell before seeing them again and everything turned out fine. But the more she thought about it, the more River realized that she was excited. She didn't know how to react to this feeling exactly. Giggling of smiling didn't really suit her when dealing with this situation.

"Leeeeviiii!"

The dog raised its head before River turned around just in time to be enveloped in a huge hug. Shocked still for a moment before she gave in and returned the embrace and genuinely grinned.

"Oh, thank fuck its actually you and I'm not hugging some random stranger," the brunette said.

"You idiot," River said pushing away from her, "That's something you should have made sure of  _before_  you hugged me."

She laughed in return before looking at her with wide eyes.

"Yup, you are definitely you. Although, you have boobs now," Hanji responded as she actually poked one of River's breasts, "Trying new things, Levi?"

River smacked her hand away and glared. "I was born a woman, Shitty-glasses. My name is River now."

That was when River noticed something about the woman dressed in a pinstriped blazer with a formal skirt that matched.

"You don't have glasses. Were you born with functioning eyes?"

"I don't know if you've heard of them," Hanji said, putting a hand on her hip, "But this century has these helpful little things called 'contacts'."

River pursed her lips. "Funny, Hanji. Really."

She grinned at him but then took notice of the dog.

"Oh! Puppy!" she exclaimed before crouching down and throwing her arms around it.

River huffed and sat down on the bench once more. While she was a bit pissed that Hanji's attention had been diverted from her after not seeing her in who knows how long, she was glad for the normalcy the situation oozed.

"Does this precious baby have a name?" Hanji cooed, smushing the dogs face in her hands. The dog gave a long suffering sigh.

"No, we just got the damn thing," River answered.

At this, the other woman looked up. "Us?"

"Eren and I," River clarified, "You aren't the only one who found someone important."

Hanji jumped up, mouth agape.

"You found Eren? That's fantastic, Levi!" she declared happily, "Oh, I can't wait to see the kid! It's been so long..."

"It's whatever," River looked away, trying not to let the heat on her face show. Hanji grinned and sat down beside her.

"It's great. You two...well, you two completed each other, Mr. Grumpy," she said, lifting the dog onto her lap, apparently not caring that she was going to get her clothes dirty. River turned her nose up at the thought.

"Still, I'm not surprised he chose a Great Dane as a pet," Hanji said before an excited expression lit up her face, "I've got it! You'll name him Cook!"

"That's the stupidest fucking dog name I've ever heard in my life," River responded, "Why the hell would I name him that?"

"You know, because of Dane Cook," she giggled, "Great Dane Cook."

River gave her a look of disbelief. "Dane fucking Cook? You want to name my dog after him?"

"What? He was in  _Mr. Brooks_ and  _Torque_ ," Hanji defended, "Those are great films."

"Hanji, nobody liked  _Torque_. Even the director made fun of it in  _Detention,_ which was an equally horrifying movie," River rolled her eyes.

" _I_ liked  _Torque_. And so does Erwin," the other woman huffed.

"That doesn't surprise me at all, actually," River said before she changed the subject, "Speaking of the blond bastard, where is he? I thought that maybe he would have wanted to meet up too."

At this, Hanji's expression fell. She didn't look him in the eyes as she said, "Erwin...doesn't remember, Levi."

River felt her heart drop. So, that was how it was. Still, she wanted to deny it.

"I didn't think Eren remembered at first. Maybe-"

"No, Levi!" she looked almost hurt, "Trust me. I've been married to him for six years now. He definitely doesn't remember. Trust me."

The both fell silent, each deep in their thoughts until River broke the silence.

"Anyway, how's your sex life?" she said in her best impression of Tommy Wiseau. Hanji burst into laughter at her comment.

"You know, for hating terrible movies, you sure watch a lot of them," she said to the raven haired woman.

River shrugged and sighed.

"It's great seeing you again, Hanji," she said contentedly.

"You too, Levi," she responded, "But technically it's Smith, now. Zoë Smith."

"No. If you are going to continue calling me Levi, I get to keep calling you Hanji," River said with a tone of finality before she realized something else, "Wait, you said Zoë Smith?"

When she nodded, River almost smacked herself at how stupid she had been.

"I can't believe how idiotic I've been," she said, "You are  _the_  Zoë Smith. One of the leading scientists in cancer research. I did a bunch of research on cancer when my mother had it and your name kept popping up. I should have known..."

Then again, she hadn't remembered her previously life then either and that mixed in with her mother's death somewhat overshadowed the fact that she had already found a lead. She cursed herself once more for her stupidity.

"I'm sorry about your mother," Hanji said solemnly, "Did she beat it?"

"No, but at her funeral is when I remembered everything," River explained, "So, maybe it was for the best."

Hanji didn't seem to agree but said nothing. The fell into a comfortable silence, listening to the sound of nature in the park. The dog had fallen asleep clumsily in Hanji's lap, only perking his ears when a jogger ran past.

"I'm taking a break from my research for a while," Hanji said finally, "I'm focusing on the human brain, or more specifically, memories."

"Gee, I wonder what brought that on," River said sarcastically, "When did you remember?"

"I was in grad school. Ever since then, I've wanted to do research on memories. There are different kinds of memories, you know. Remembering things in another life isn't exactly scientific, at least not in this era. But just think of the wonderful possibilities if we could prove it as a valid fact instead of being written off as lunatics. However, my main goal is to bring everyone together."

River had to make sure she heard that correctly. "What?"

"I was in grad school. Ever since then, I've wanted-"

"Fucking hell, not that," River bit out, "You want to bring everyone from our previous lives...together?"

Hanji nodded, "Yes. It may have been a horrible life, but the bonds we made can't be broken. Not in this life or the next. Don't you want to meet everyone again? Gunter? Auruo? Petra? Erd?"

"I've already seen Petra and Auruo," River admitted, "But...yes. I would like to see everyone again."

Hanji smiled warmly at her before starting to pet the dog.

"You know, if you donated to Erwin's campaign and my research, I could put you on the V.I.P list for formal functions. You would even get to see Erwin," Hanji said shrewdly.

"Where do you get off soliciting money from me? And what makes you think I have that kind of money, Shit Face?"

Hanji waved a hand.

"Please, I know that you are a very wealthy author,  _Rivaille_. I happened to do some quick research on you on my way over here," she held up her smart phone to prove her point.

River sighed and decided that she hated phones in general. 

Suddenly, her stomach growled and she stood up.

"Hey, Hanji. Why don't you come over to my place for some lunch?"

Hanji jumped up, dumping the poor dog off her lap.

"That sounds great! Doesn't that, Cook?" she said excitedly. The dog just looked at her sadly.

River shook her head but didn't argue the name.

"Good, but I walked here so I hope that you don't mind walking back," River told her. The woman shook her head an bounced up and down. River couldn't imagine it would be very comfortable walking in heels; she hated it anytime she had too. But, she decided not to point it out and opted for another response.

"And you are going to fucking shower when we get there. You smell like sex."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo, I love terrible movies. Honestly, they are the greatest. The Tommy Wiseau reference is from the movie The Room which is hilarious. Detention is also one of my favorites as well.


	24. Jealousy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Do you think you will get over her?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, time skip in this chapter. 
> 
> Song: [Jealousy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXuGdJGPRIA) by Darren Criss
> 
> Also, there is this really good [cover of Counting Stars](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGk6p5J3kkg) I had in mind when I wrote this chapter. This is what I think Ymir might sound like and it really has that earthy sound that I was going for.  
> (Psst. Here is also a [SNK AMV](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfkS9aMJVJQ\)) with Counting Stars.

The low lighting in the lounge made it hard to see what was around her, but Krista knew that the point of the dim place was to draw attention to the only well light place in the place, the stage. 

Ever since she had found out that her sort-of girlfriend preformed at the old but well-kept lounge, she had tried her best to be there every time. It was harder when September started, beginning her strict schedule of ballet classes and trying to fit school in as well. She couldn't come every time, but Ymir said she understood.

Technically, she was too young to be allowed into the lounge, but Ymir had bargained with the owner and an exception was made for her, although she had to wear a band that proclaimed she was under eighteen. It was a bit embarrassing, but it allowed her to see Ymir preform, so she supposed she wasn't too upset.

She loved hearing Ymir sing. She only sang songs that spoke to her personally and it was apparent that she put passion into every song she wrote. It was one of the only times that Krista could see her genuinely free even if some of her songs were about her former life.

However, a feeling of irritation rose up in her when she noticed that another girl with dark curly hair came every time as well. Ymir had introduced her as Megan, her former coworker. At first, Krista didn't mind sitting with the woman until she noticed the looks that she would give Ymir. Ymir didn't seem to notice, but it was apparent to Krista that Megan had no small crush on her.

This particular night, Ymir had announced to Krista that she had been waiting for her to come so she could sing her new song that she had been working on. Krista sat down at her usual table alongside Megan who was already there.

"Hey," the girl smiled at her and Krista returned the polite smile. After a short moment, Ymir got onstage and started playing the guitar, her soothing voice ringing out.

_I remember the dreams of my past_

_But I don't need to make them last_

It was really a beautiful song and Krista knew she was the only one in the lounge who fully understood the meaning behind her song. It hurt a little to know that Ymir still thought of their nightmarish past with something akin to regret. She didn't like to think about her past if she could help it. She was here with a loving mother this time, and Ymir, who had always loved her.

"I've never heard that song before," Megan said quietly as the song ended and Ymir started playing a cover of "Counting Stars".

"She just finished writing it," Krista replied, "She wanted me to be here for it."

There was really no need for her to add the last comment, but she supposed that she was trying to mark the boundaries with Ymir's ex-coworker. Megan seemed to have picked up on this and slid her eyes over to Krista.

"Yeah, come to think of it, you haven't been here lately," she said airily, "Busy?"

Krista grit her teeth but managed a smile.

"Yes. I've been busy with my ballet classes and school. But I still make time to see Ymir when I can."

"Oh, you are in school still?" Megan inquired as if making small talk.

"I go to school online. It makes it easier to juggle by ballet classes," Krista responded.

"That must get lonely."

"I'm not lonely."

"And I'm not underage."

Krista took a small breath and her face lost its friendly appeal at those words. Krista was well aware of the age difference between her and Ymir and while her mother trusted them not to do anything stupid, knowing that Krista wouldn't do anything to endanger her goals, it was like putting salt on an open wound when the other girl brought it up. It frustrated her to no end to know that Ymir couldn’t legally act upon any feelings that the two of them had. And while sex wasn't everything, Krista couldn't deny that there were moments when she wanted to jump her "girlfriend".

Megan looked at Krista's stricken expression for a moment before her expression softened.

"I'm sorry. That was mean," she apologized, "I suppose...I'm jealous."

Krista regarded her and waited for her to continue.

"She's really into you. It kinda kills me inside," she admitted.

"You really like her," Krista stated. It wasn't a question but the other answered anyway.

"Yeah," she laughed nervously, "Don't suppose that you'd be willing to give her up."

"No. But even I was, she wouldn't be willing to give me up," Krista responded. 

Megan gave her a sad half smile at that and turned back to watching Ymir.

"You know, I tried for months to get her to actually notice me, but she was never interested. I know she must have noticed, but she's always been really into you," Megan said sadly, "But you know what? It pains me to say it, but you're good for her. She's a lot less bitchy with you around."

Krista had to stifle a laugh at that. Ymir had a rough personality and she wouldn't deny it. Krista didn't think Ymir was more subdued around her, but she did notice that the older woman was happier.

Krista looked over at the other girl at the table and smiled.

"You know, you aren't as bad as I thought," Krista told her.

"Did you think I was going to try to worm my way between you and her?" Megan raised her eyebrows. When Krista looked away, embarrassed, she laughed quietly. "Nah, I'm not that much of a bitch. I still want to be friends with her, even if I can't be with her like I want to."

Krista hesitated to ask her next question just in case it might break the delicate balance their conversation was hanging on. In the end, she decided to ask it anyway.

"Do you think you will get over her?"

Call it her insecurities speaking, but she still wasn’t sure about the other girl. She knew that she didn't really have anything to worry about, but she couldn't stuff the jealousy that was brimming over.

Megan gave her a level look before saying, "Do you?"

Krista of course knew the answer to that question. It was apparent what Megan's answer was as well. The girls stared each other down for a moment before they both burst into quiet giggles.

"Make no mistake, if it doesn't work out between you two, I'm going to be right there," Megan assured, "I just want her to be happy."

"Thanks for warning me, but I don't think that it will be necessary," Krista told her firmly. 

She nodded and sighed, "I didn't think it would be, but a girl can dream, right?"

* * *

Ymir had gotten in the habit of making sure that Krista got home safely after her performances. After they had gotten in their taxi, Krista snuggled up to Ymir.

"You know that Megan really likes you, right?" Krista said softly. She felt Ymir sigh and start to stroke her head.

"Yeah. I don't encourage her though. She just keeps coming around and inviting me places. I don't go, though! I-"

"Ymir, relax," Krista smiled, "I know you don't."

Ymir stayed silent for a moment before asking, "You don't care?"

Krista looked up into her face, noticing the freckles even in the dim light.

"Of course I care, but she's nice," she responded, "I don't feel as threatened by her as I did before?"

"Before? What happened?"

Krista shrugged. "We just talked. We came to an understanding. I also found out that she lives in New York by herself and is going to acting school."

Ymir nodded, the information not exactly new to her. Krista rested her head back in Ymir's neck, ignoring the looks the taxi driver was giving them.

After a moment, Krista remembered something.

"Hey, Thanksgiving is in two weeks. Did you have any plans?"

When Ymir responded that she didn't, she continued, "Want to come over to my house for Thanksgiving dinner? River is coming over too since Eren will be at the hospital. Something about working Thanksgiving in exchange for Christmas."

Ymir pretended to think about it and Krista playfully elbowed her.

"Alright, alright," Ymir laughed, "I'll come too."

"Good! And maybe..."

Ymir furrowed her eyebrows. "Maybe...?"

Krista sighed heavily. "Maybe you should invite Megan too."

Ymir looked down at the girl, thoroughly confused.

"Why? Don't you think that's leading her on?"

"She can't go home for Thanksgiving. I'm sure it will be lonely," Krista answered, "Just say I told you to invite her. I'm just trying to be nice."

"You are being too nice," Ymir grumbled, obviously not pleased, "But okay, I'll say that you want her there."

Krista sighed contentedly and Ymir kissed the top of her head, her jealousy soothed for the time being.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I've read several fics with jealous Ymir and I wanted Krista being jealous.
> 
> And I don't usually like OCs in fanfiction but Megan is kind of growing on me. I might have something up my sleeve for her later.
> 
> Seriously though, how well did the two of them deal with their jealousy? It can be done civilly if you actually try.


	25. Jesus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "In fact, maybe I am Jesus."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Suit & Tie](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tWvTW16atE) by Justin Timberlake just because I'm generic.

Eren was feeling a bit uncomfortable surrounded by the many well-to-do people. He had never been to a party quite like this, but he got to see River in a red, sleeveless, form-fitting dress that she looked delicious in, so he supposed it wasn't all a loss.

"You look beautiful," Eren told her in a low voice.

"So you've said five times already," River replied, half smirking but not looking up at him.

The dress was admittedly doing wonders for her breasts and Eren's eyes couldn't help but be drawn towards them. He honestly never thought that he would get to see her in a dress so he was going to make the most of it.

Suddenly, her grey eyes were looking up into his.

"Oi, stop looking at my boobs," she said, annoyed.

"Sorry," he apologized but didn't take his eyes off them.

She reached up and flicked him hard on the nose. He leaned away and held his nose as he made a noise of complaint.

"Normally, I would have kicked you in the balls, but I don't think the guests would take too well to that," River said smugly, taking a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.

It was supposedly a "small" party in honor of Erwin wining the election by a landslide. It was meant as a celebration as well as a "thank you" to the guests for their support. River had made a sizable donation when she had found out Erwin was running for senator, landing her in his top ten list of supporters, something, Eren noted, she prided herself on.

She didn't seem overwhelmed at all by the extravagant party in the Smith's mansion. What he did notice was that she was impatiently tapping her foot. It occurred to him that while they had both met Hanji, or Zoë Smith now, months ago, they had yet to meet her husband and former commander. Eren had been told by the hyperactive scientist that Erwin didn't remember their former lives, so when they did meet him, tread carefully in the conversations they had.

Eren would never admit to himself at the close bond his girlfriend and the blond man seemed to have. It was something that had caused him some insecurities in his past, but he had only brought it up once and the former captain of his squad made sure to displace any doubts.

" _If Erwin and I wanted to be together, don't you think that we would have already done so, brat?"_

At first it didn't alleviate his insecurities, but with time, even Eren could see just how much the other loved him, even if it was more with small actions and gestures than with words.

A hard clap on the back knocked him back to the present and he turned to see Hanji, no Zoë, beaming at the both of them. 

"Damn it, Hanji. You scared the shit out of me," River growled, taking a sip from her champagne glass.

"I finally found you two lovebirds," she said happily, "Erwin is getting a schmoozy right now, so I thought I come over to the peppier crowd."

"Hello, Hanj-I mean Zoë," Eren said as the weight of her arm fell on his shoulder.

"Oh, just call me Hanji if it's easier for you," she said before motioning to River, "I still call this chick 'Levi', so I think its okay."

Eren had to smile at her vivaciousness. It wasn't until that moment that he remembered something.

"Oh, Hanji. You remember that River's birthday is this month, right?"

River sighed and Hanji withdrew her arm from Eren and put her hand to her chin, as if thinking.

"That's right! Less than twenty days! I forgot your birthday was on Christmas, Levi," she said to the shorter woman.

River looked at the two of them before saying, "Technically, my birthday came first."

Eren rolled his eyes. "You're saying that your birthday came before Jesus' birthday."

River nodded. "Yes. In fact, maybe I am Jesus."

Eren snorted and even Hanji let out a snicker when the words came from her mouth.

"You? Jesus?" Eren laughed, "Please, you make way to many shit jokes to be Jesus."

"Jesus took shits too, you know."

"Would that make it-" Hanji started and Eren had a feeling he knew where this was going.

"Don't you fucking dare," River threatened, grip tightening on her glass.

"A holy shit?" Hanji giggled, obviously pleased with herself as both Eren and River groaned.

"Hanji, please, that joke is overused," the black-haired woman said.

She sobered up for a moment and a seriously look crossed her face. Eren and River knew the look well and waited for her to explain herself.

"I have this theory," she began, "That the events of our previous lives didn't happen in the past, but the future."

"The future? That's a little farfetched don't you think?" River asked, raising her eyebrows.

"River we have past lives where we fought giant monsters. I think coming from the future isn't that farfetched," Eren responded.

"It would also explain why there are no historical records indicating anything about titans," Hanji said lowly.

"What about the Nephilim?" Eren asked.

The both of them looked at him with wide eyes.

"What?" he asked defensively.

"We weren't expecting an intelligent response from you, that's all," River said. Eren spluttered at that but River shushed him.

"It's a good theory," Hanji said, "But the Nephilim could and did have children. And if you believe the religious texts, they were offspring of angels and human females. However...stories do tend to get misconstrued after time passes. It's very plausible."

"For some reason, neither theory really makes me feel anymore comfortable," River admitted and Eren nodded.

Hanji shrugged but then noticed someone approaching them.

"Oh, Erwin!"

Suddenly the grip on River's glass got even tighter and Eren would have worried about her breaking it if his throat hadn't suddenly gone dry. They both turned to see the tall and handsome man approaching them. It took everything Eren had in him not to salute at the man.

"This is River and Eren," Hanji introduced.

"Ah, yes, the last minute donations came from the two of you," Erwin smiled cordially, "I thank you. I wouldn't have gotten this far without your help."

 _The two of us?_  Eren wondered but his thoughts came to a halt when he heard River's next words.

"I doubt it."

The temperature seemed to drop ten degrees as Erwin turned his full attention on River. Eren looked in horror at her and noticed that she was holding her glass loosely  by the rim now. He glanced over at Hanji for help, but she only seemed interested at how this would turn out.

"I'm sorry?" Erwin said politely.

"I'm sure you could have made it without our support or donation," River said, her expression blank, "You are popular enough and have managed to get the media's support. I'm sure you would have been just fine without us."

The air was stagnant as the two continued to look at each other, neither of them breaking eye contact. Erwin's smile drooped and turned into a small frown as his eyes narrowed, as if trying to figure something out.

"Yet you still donated," he said finally.

"That we did," River replied simply before taking another sip of her champagne. 

Hanji's eyes were bouncing between the two of them, not entirely sure how this would work out but she knew it was best not to interfere. Eren was silently panicking and was just about to apologize to the blond when the man let out a hearty laugh.

"You are one of the most honest people here," he said, "It's refreshing."

"And being a politician, you are one of the most dishonest people here. Can't say that's entirely refreshing, but at least you know it," River said, smiling slightly.

Erwin laughed again and Hanji looped her arm around his, smiling.

Eren sighed and rolled his eyes.

"You say she's honest but really she's just rude," he said playfully. River glared at him and Hanji laughed.

"Nah, he just has no social graces, that's all," she said.

"He?" Erwin questioned, looking over at River and seeing that she was very much a woman.

"She," Hanji covered, "I meant she."

River rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Well, I do have some others that I must go thank, but I do think that we should go out for dinner sometime, all four of us," Erwin said graciously, giving the first genuine smile that Eren thought he must have given all night. With that, he said his goodbyes and went to talk to some of his other supporters.

Hanji beamed at the both of them.

"I'm not sure insulting him was the right way to go about things," Eren said, but he knew that underneath her harsh words, there was respect and he was sure Erwin had picked up on that as well.

River shrugged and was about to say something when Hanji interrupted her.

"Hey, you know what else needs funding," Hanji said shrewdly. 

Eren knew about her plan to gather everyone together and that her research was focusing on memory loss. Eren wasn't sure it was a good idea, but he didn't deny that he wanted to see Armin and Mikasa again. He wouldn't even mind seeing Jean again either, if he was out there. Names ran through his head and he briefly wondered if even Marco was out there.

"Dammit, Hanji, are you seriously soliciting me,  _again_?" River said angrily.

"Why should Erwin get all the attention? We are friends too!"

"I was already planning on giving you some help, Shit-glasses!"

"You can't say that! I'm not wearing glasses," Hanji retorted.

Eren watched the two of them go back and forth and smiled to himself, glad this year was ending on a good note so far.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, after this, I have one more chapter before the actual Christmas chapter that will come out on Christmas. There is a whole bunch of stuff that I cut in order to make the deadline of Christmas but it will be added later. I will be going at a slower pace after the holidays just because I want to make this story last. I know how its going to end but that's not for a long, long way off.
> 
> Yo, dude, go check out Nephilim. Those things are cool as shit.
> 
>  
> 
> [River's Dress](http://nowdiscountshoes.com/ebay/apparel/Dresses/Angeline/Zzw-Angeline-A-0016_5940-Red-Dresses-Womens-Designer-gtc.jpg)


	26. Sugar Plum Fairy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I don't say it enough, but I really love you, Eren."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rapf3g_XvCc) by Tchaikovsky

Eren found that River loved Christmas. He honestly thought she would hate it because it overshadowed her birthday, but it only made her seem to enjoy it more. He had teased her as she decorated the whole entire condo which led to him being forced to help. By the end, Eren was sure that he had seen enough tinsel and lights to last him a lifetime. He also knew that cleaning up the needles from the real pine tree River had insisted upon would be terrible to clean up later.

Even now, with Eren sitting the on the couch and River sprawled across the length of it with her head on his lap, the Christmas spirit seemed to be running high. River had turned the TV to a station with only a burning log and Christmas music. While Eren, who had decided to play a game on his iPad, thought it was a particularly boring channel, River seemed to enjoy it as she watched and stroked Cook, who was lying on top of her, sleeping. Eren thought she looked somewhat comical with the large puppy almost covering her body but he was happy that she had accepted the dog easier than he though she would, even if she would never admit it.

Suddenly, River stiffened and let out a harsh "Shh!"

Eren looked down at her quizzically. "I didn't say anything..."

"Shut up!"

Eren didn't know what her problem was but then noticed that she had closed her eyes and was smiling softly. It took a minute to realize that she was listening intently to the song playing on the television. Eren thought it sounded familiar; he was sure it was from The Nutcracker.

"My mom took me to see the Royal Ballet once when I was ten. We saw the Nutcracker and this was my favorite part of the whole thing," River said softly, not opening her eyes, "The Sugar Plum Fairy was always the most graceful somehow. Even now the song makes me think of Christmases as a kid and how magical and exciting it always was."

Eren let her talk, caught up in the memories of her mother. He was happy to see her so content and he started running his fingers through her hair.

"I used to hate Christmas because it was my birthday and I never felt like it was  _my_ special day. But my mother would always tell me that Christmas only meant something because I was born on it and that God specially chose me to share a birthday with Jesus. She was really religious like that."

River laughed a bit and opened her eyes to look at Eren. "We would always do whatever I wanted on Christmas but she always made sure to let me know it was because it was for my birthday. We would make cookies or some stupid shit like that."

She stopped talking and gave him an intense look before saying, "This is the first Christmas I've spent with someone since she died."

Eren gazed back at her before he bent down and placed his lips on hers. She raised her head to match him and swiped at his bottom lip with her tongue. Instead of opening his mouth, however, he pulled away, looking at her flushing face.

"We can make cookies tomorrow if you want. It's only Christmas Eve, but I have the next two days off anyway," Eren murmured.

She only stared at him with an unreadable expression. After a moment, Eren realized that he might have intruded on a special tradition that was only meant for her and her mother. He was about to apologize and retract his offer when River spoke softly.

"I don't say it enough, but I really love you, Eren."

Eren smiled and replied, "I know," before leaning forward once more to catch her lips with his.

"I love you too," he mumbled against her lips, and he was absolutely positive this was going to be one of the best Christmases he would ever have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really short chapter here but I thought it was sweet. Hopefully.
> 
> Next chapter will be on Christmas because I honestly have nothing better to do than be online. :3 
> 
> I'm honestly excited to get past this whole Christmas and New Year's thing though because that is when stuff really starts happening.


	27. Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Happy birthday and Merry Christmas."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Baby Its Cold Outside](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTNheCEUP_A) orginally by Frank Loesser and Lynn Garland
> 
> Ymir and Krista [Version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhczmcBFPUE)

The last thing River had expected to hear when she woke up on Christmas morning was the sound of voices and laughter coming from the living room. Sitting up, she realized that neither Eren nor Cook were in the bed with her which surprised her. She would have figured that if they had gotten up, she would have noticed.

Throwing off the covers,  she padded over to the door, opened it and left the room. When she passed the kitchen, she saw Eren at the stove with a blonde woman that River recognized as Marta. Whatever was in the oven smelled delicious and River approached in spite of herself.

"Oi, what the hell is going on?" she questioned.

Both Eren and Marta turned, with equal looks of surprise on their face.

"Morning, River!" Eren said as he came over to give her a kiss. Once he did so, he returned to cooking whatever was on the stove. "You slept in, it's nearly noon."

River still felt a bit groggy but was surprised to hear that she had slept in so late. However, it should have been expected since Eren woke her up at midnight for "surprise" birthday sex.

"What are you doing here, Marta?" she asked the older woman.

"Helping cook Christmas dinner. I hear there is going to be quite a few people coming," she shrugged and Eren winced as River turned to glare at him.

"What?" she asked flatly.

Eren shrugged. "Surprise. I thought it would be a nice dinner with everyone here. Auruo and Petra aren't coming until later tonight and they said they had something to tell us. Hanji said she would come too and is probably going to drag Erwin along too. I invited Steve but he's out of state or something."

River wasn't sure whether to be irritated or touched. River had been planning on a quiet day with Eren but she couldn't help but be a tad excited by the fact that all her friends were going to spend her birthday, here, with her and Eren. It would be the first time that everyone they had found so far would be all together under one roof. With Erwin and Marta here, however, she knew that they would have to be careful with their conversations.

Sighing and knowing she wasn't awake enough to have this conversation, River turned to leave and said, "I'm going to shower and brush my teeth."

"Alright! Lunch should be ready by the time you're done!" Marta practically sang.

Before she could retreat to her bedroom, she heard the sound of a guitar and two feminine voices singing a rendition of "Baby It's Cold Outside". Curious, she approached and saw Ymir sitting on the floor and playing the guitar with Krista leaning up against her as they both sang. There was a third girl, one with bushy black hair and a somewhat bored expression on her face sprawled across the couch playing tug-of-war with Cook.

"The fuck? Doesn't anybody have family to visit on Christmas?" River asked after the two had finished their song.

"Oh, hey, River," Ymir said, looking up at her.

Krista shrugged and replied, "My family is already here."

"Mine is in Sweden. I'll call them later," Ymir told her.

"Eren said Auruo and Petra are spending time with her family now and New Year's with his family," Ymir added, "But they are coming over later."

"And I'm not really sure about Hanji and Erwin's family," the small blond finished.

"Right..." River nodded before turning her attention to the other girl in the room, "And who the fuck are you?"

The girl looked over at her, looking a little shocked by her rudeness but answered evenly, "I'm Megan. I'm too poor to go home so Krista and Ymir invited me to come along."

She stared blankly at the three of them, wondering at how the sudden intrusion on her home hadn't led her to kill Eren yet. After a moment, she shook her head and left to take a shower. She wouldn't take anything in as long as she was still half asleep and un-showered.

After she had cleaned herself, brushed her teeth, and put on some comfortable house clothes, she entered the kitchen once more to see that Eren and Marta had stayed true to their word and had finished up lunch. It was a small lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches and fries and River helped carry the plateful of sandwiches into the dining room.

"This isn't very Christmas-y," Ymir said as she sat down, "It's sort of weird."

"My mom always cooked grilled cheese and fries for lunch for my brother and I on Christmas before all the relatives started coming," Eren shrugged, "I thought I would continue the tradition."

"It's still weird," Ymir mumbled and Krista elbowed her before everybody dug in.

The meal was almost gone in an instant and after everybody had cleaned up, they all migrated to the living room. River was unprepared when gifts were shoved into her hands. Everyone looked at her expectantly, as if waiting for her to do something.

"I guess you want me to open these?" River asked flatly, "What about your presents?"

"It's not our birthday," Eren replied, "Why should we get presents on your birthday?"

River knew what he was doing and she couldn't help but smile a little at his persistence of making sure she knew that her birthday came first to him. She sighed somewhat happily and sat down in a nearby cushioned chair and looked at the gifts of various sizes in her arms. Very carefully, she started to unwrap the first gift and found it was from Krista and Marta. They had bought her a glass pen a long with ink. The gift was absolutely stunning and even though she was a bit embarrassed, she expressed her gratitude towards them. 

Ymir had ended up buying her a planner, saying, "It would make my job a hell of a lot easier and maybe you would stop procrastinating on shit."

After River threatened to fire her and Ymir countered with a sarcastic comment of her own, she opened Eren's gift, which had been a collection of fairly shitty movies that she knew she would enjoy and love to torture Eren by forcing him to watch.

After all her gifts were opened, it was decided to exchange Christmas gifts. Eren dug underneath the tree for each persons present and they all exchanged. Eren had received a new stethoscope that he had been wanting from Marta and Krista, "The Kama Sutra" from Ymir, which he, and the rest of the room, went red-faced at, and new phone that River knew had been eying.

River and Eren had both gotten Ymir a slip marking a reservation at DANIEL for the fifteenth of January along with a note that stated that the meal would be paid for. Ymir grinned knowing exactly what January fifteenth was and slipped both the slip and the note into her pocket before Krista could see.

"What was it?" Krista asked curiously looking from Eren to Ymir to River.

"Nothing. You'll find out later," Ymir said with a note of finality and Krista didn’t press further but pursed her lips together.

Eren had already made sure that Krista didn't have school nor ballet classes on the night of the reservation with Marta already, so the couple didn't hesitate to give the small blonde a gift card to Macy's.

"That's for getting a nice dress only," River said vaguely, "Your mom can probably help you with that. Merry Christmas."

Krista looked even more confused and turned her gaze to her mother, who was obviously in on the secret. Megan had seemed to pick up what was happening, having seen the reservations. After trying to get everybody to spill what was going on, Krista gave up and let out a huff.

The gift exchange went on and even a surprised Megan got a few presents. The only person that River didn't get a Christmas present from was Eren.

He shrugged his shoulders apologetically and said, "Your Christmas present is going to be a bit late this year. I'm sorry."

"What is it?" she asked.

"I'm not telling; it's a surprise," Eren grinned, although River noticed that he looked a bit nervous as well.

"If it's my  _Christmas_  present, you can tell me on  _Christmas,_ " River tried to bargain but Eren shook his head resolutely. River joined Krista in her pouting.

After, River insisted that they clean up the wrapping paper before doing anything else. Eren decided that he would bring out the board games that River never used.

"Let's play Life!" Eren said.

"Nah, that game is lame," Ymir drawled, "I suggest Cards Against Humanity. That shit is fun to play."

"I don't exactly think that's a game that usually played at Christmas, Ymir," Megan interjected.

"And grilled cheese and fries isn't exactly a meal usually eaten on Christmas, but here we are," she replied.

"Why don't we just put the names of games in a bowl and pick one?" Krista suggested. 

After everyone agreed to this, it turned out that Monopoly was the game that was chosen. River reveled in this; she had always beaten Eren whenever he played, even if it was mostly due to his frustration and anger.

They started the game and every so often, Marta or River would go to check on the food only to be brought back with calls of "It's your turn!" from the living room. After a while, it became apparent that people were teaming up and cheating. Eren had decided to team up with Krista, who, to the surprise of everyone except Marta, was ruthlessly competitive. 

This led to River teaming up with Megan, who was surprisingly strategic. River couldn't afford to lose to Eren solely for the reason that she would never hear the end of it. In the end, only Ymir and Marta ended up playing fair, but they quickly went bankrupt and backed out of the game and watched as the two sides battled it out. Just when it appeared that River and Megan were going to win, Megan turned the tables and suddenly had every single property, including the ones that she had convinced River to sell to her to "keep track". At this, turn of events, everyone, save for River who was swearing up a storm about how she couldn't trust teammates, was laughing and congratulating Megan on game well played.

"It's my fucking birthday, you should have let me win, brat," River grumbled.

"I don't think so," she said cheekily and River swore that she never wanted to play a game with her ever again.

The game had taken more than a few hours, but it surprised them all when Eren let Hanji and Erwin into the apartment.

The brunette woman came bounding over to River and scooped her up in a big hug.

"Happy birthday!" she sang, "Turning twenty-five on the twenty-fifth! That's never going to happen again!"

"Hanji, let go," River said, feeling as though her lungs were collapsing. She promptly released River but set her hands on the smaller woman's shoulders.

"Merry Christmas, too!" she chirped and River returned the greeting.

Erwin nodded and told her, "Happy birthday and Merry Christmas, River."

River smiled and returned with a "Merry Christmas," of her own. They all migrated to the living room once again and she noticed that both Ymir and Krista seemed a little tongue-tied to have both Hanji and their former commander in the same room as them but Hanji quickly dissipated their awkwardness when she approached Ymir excitedly and began to look her over before pinching random places on her body.

"Ow! What the hell?" Ymir barked.

"I'm just interested in the physical aspects of the human body, yours and Eren's in particular," Hanji said before grabbing Ymir's hand and inspecting the crescent shaped scar on it, "I would love to do some blood work on the two of you. You know, for science purposes and to see if-"

"Zoë, leave the kid alone," Erwin laughed, "You are unsettling her."

Eren brought wine out and everybody who wanted some was served, save for Krista, who tried to wheedle her way into getting some. River knew that Ymir would give her some normally, but the fact that her mother was here dissuaded her from caving. 

River decided that it wasn't really Christmas unless there was the appropriate music playing. With the Christmas music in the background, the aroma of turkey floated from the kitchen, and laughter echoed throughout the condo, River could feel a sense of contentment rise up in her. 

Eren called his parents, who had decided to go on a cruise that Christmas, and wished them a Merry Christmas and passed the phone to River, who had never actually met them and had only talked to them a handful of times, and she awkwardly wished them a Merry Christmas as they gave her hearty birthday wishes. 

Around six, Marta announced that the turkey was ready just as Auruo and Petra arrived.  Everyone helped set up the table, revealing a large meal of stuffed turkey,  mashed potatoes,  green beans, biscuits, and corn.

Everyone sat down and immediately began eating. River had to admit that Marta was an excellent cook as she tasted the various foods. 

"Hey, Petra!" Eren said over the various conversations, "You said you had something to tell us."

Petra smiled coyly as Auruo took the opportunity to shovel another bite into his mouth.

"Well," she said excitedly, "Auruo and I are going to have a baby!"

A chorus of congratulations sounded from around the table and Auruo looked genuinely proud.

"Hey, it's proof that Auruo actually managed to-"

Ymir's comment was cut short as Krista elbowed her and scolded her. Several other questions sounded around from the room. When was it due? Where they going to find out if it was a boy or a girl? When had she found out?

Petra smiled but it was Auruo who answered the questions, saying that she was only two months, they had only found out a couple weeks ago, and they wanted to keep it a surprise.

The dinner progressed with many smiles until both Eren and Marta disappeared into the kitchen again only to return with a cake as everyone joined in a chorus of "Happy Birthday" to River. She managed blow out all of her candles which led to several comments on how well she blows followed by a death glare from River.

The rest of the night progressed happily and much to Eren's chagrin, River got a bit tipsy along with Erwin and Hanji which led to all three of them singing at the top of their lungs. Ymir pulled out her phone to record the scene and assured Eren that she would send it to him later. 

Megan turned out to be a lightweight as well and started hanging off of Krista and Ymir.

Eventually, Auruo and Petra left followed shortly after by Hanji and Erwin, saying that they had family visiting in the morning. 

Krista had ballet class the next day so her and Marta left just before midnight.  Ymir ended up taking a passed out Megan home and it didn't go unnoticed that Krista was not happy about the situation. 

Eren heaved a sigh and turned to take River in his arms.

"Happy birthday, River," he mumbled tiredly into her hair.

River giggled uncharacteristically before pressing her lips on his.

"It was a great birthday," she mumbled "Thank you so much."

Eren pulled away and grinned before saying, "Let's end this Christmas with a bang."

"That was the stupidest fucking line you've ever tried on me," River growled.

"Oh, shut up," he grunted before covering her lips with his and lifting her up on his hips and she wrapped her legs around him.

And thus, their first Christmas together passed peacefully.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This came a lot later than planned. I thought I was going to be home all day but plans change I guess. 
> 
> Sorry if there are any typos. I wrote over half of this on my phone and I will correct it when I get home.
> 
> And look who is having a baby! :D
> 
> I hope you guys had a great Christmas! Thank you so much for over 4,000 hits! Once again, I hope your Christmas was fantastic.


	28. Watching Her Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi was similar to Eren in his need for freedom like that and knew that the death of his mother and comrades didn't ignite his desire, only fueled it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Fireflies](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psuRGfAaju4) by Owl City

There were gentle moments. They weren't technically shared with River and they were his alone. He preferred it that way.

When it was still summer, the sun came up a lot earlier, which meant that there was more light to see. Now that it was winter, he had to wait until his eyes adjusted to the the almost darkness that surrounded the both of them. 

He would wake up earlier than his alarm sometimes and make sure it didn't go off as not to wake her. He could then watch her as she slept soundly. Even with her hair tangled and messed up and with drool, which she would adamantly deny, pooled onto her pillow, she was still beautiful.

They would normally fall asleep, limbs tangled and in each other's arms. For whatever reason, though, River would always pull away and curl into a small ball as she slept. Eren might have been a bit hurt at this if she didn't look so damn cute curled into herself. Sometimes, she would have her back towards him, but only when she was particularly upset. Most of the time, he could watch her face. 

Her face would move and twitch as she dreamed. Sometimes, he would ask her what she dreamed about. She would stare at him for a while before responding that she didn't remember. Once, however, she told him she dreamed about how they first met.

Eren remembers their first meeting, even if it wasn't in the best of conditions. He was starstruck by the famous Captain Levi, Humanity's Strongest. He wouldn't deny that he wanted to emulate him in his quest to defeat their enemies. Even after being kicked, beaten, and a more than a bit humiliated in that court room, Eren knew it was for the best, not that he would want to try it again. The stoic man had his reasons for doing things and Eren trusted him wholeheartedly.

Eren continued to grow after that, learning how to control his powers and how to trust people. Not only that, he learned more things about his childhood idol as well. The man may have been short and an obsessive clean freak who showed no emotions, but Eren also began to see his softer side. He would see how much he cared for his squad and people in general. Eren found out that Levi secretly gave some of his earnings to orphanages and poor schools. The short man disliked authority if he didn't trust the person. He was a good soldier who never questioned his orders unless they were downright corrupt. He also had faith in Eren, which was exactly what he needed.

Eren came to see that Levi was one of the few people that saw his need to destroy the titans was not for vengeance, but for freedom. Levi was similar to Eren in his need for freedom like that and knew that the death of his mother and comrades didn't ignite his desire, only fueled it. 

Not only that, but he also listened to Eren, comforted him, gave him advice, and in the moments he just needed someone to be there, the Captain was there. Eren would laugh at it now, but he never noticed that the man had fallen in love with him, not until Levi pinned him up against a wall one evening and made sure he knew it. Eren was breathless at this new development, never figuring himself to find that Levi was interested in him.

Eren would always remember this as he watched River sleep now, thinking about how he had always wanted the peaceful life he had now. He didn't have to see her bloodstained of hurt because of fallen comrades, and it would make him wrap his arms around her and pull her closer to him.

She would groan and mutter in French before murmuring softly, "What's wrong?"

He could bury his head into her shoulder and wait until she fell back asleep, just enjoying the presence of having her in her arms.

And soon, he planned to make her wholly and completely his just as he planned to be wholly and completely hers.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short 'lil chapter here. There will be another short chapter before the year ends which sort of goes along with this one. 
> 
> Anyway, I have a date tomorrow with a guy who likes SNK too so I'm super excited, which is why I updated a day earlier than I planned to. 
> 
> I want to thank you guys again for reading and all your kind comments. It really means a lot to me and you guys are the reason I keep writing this fic. :D I love you all!


	29. Acting Strange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "There is something I would rather do before I consider pushing your big-headed children out of my uterus."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [100 Years](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR-qQcNT_fY) by Five for Fighting

Eren sighed as he approached the bedroom. He was done working for the rest of the year. It was only the thirtieth of December but he had the next couple of days off for some "special" arrangements. He did a mental checklist to make sure everything was in order. River had been pestering him for days as to what her late Christmas present was, and soon, she was going to find out.

He opened the door to the bedroom to find a scene that made his heart melt.

River was lying on the bed with the laptop open and headphones on. She had fallen asleep and he could hear the faint music coming from the headphones. She was the type that liked big headphones that completely enveloped her ears. 

"The tiny ones you put in your ears never stay in my fucking ears," she had told him once.

She was wearing a pair of his boxers and a peach Lion King sweater which clashed horribly together but made it all the more endearing as she was curled up around Cook. The dog had its head lying on her outstretched arm. River had her other arm thrown across the black dog that was getting almost as big as her. The whole thing made her look somewhat...maternal.

Eren wasn't sure how long he stood there just watching her as her chest rose and fell with deep, peaceful breaths. It wasn't until Cook shifted and raised his head to glance look over at Eren that she began to stir.

She slowly moved and withdrew her arm from the dog as she sat up and took off her headphones groaning before noticing Eren in the doorway.

"What?" she asked groggily.

"Let's have children."

Eren wasn't sure what had made the words come from his mouth. He had always liked kids and wanted them with River, but seeing her just now, something rose up in him. A desire to bring up offspring started to burn inside him.

Even so, he was embarrassed when his unfiltered thoughts were blurted from his mouth. River blinked at him and said nothing and he was getting increasingly nervous before she sighed.

"Jaeger, while it may come as a surprise to you, I'm relatively old fashioned," she said, "There is something I would rather do before I consider pushing your big-headed children out of my uterus."

This time, Eren stared blankly at her, trying to figure out what she meant. When it was apparent that he wasn't getting it, River raised her left hand and wiggled her ring finger at him.

His eyes widened as he realized just exactly what she was talking about and he started to panic. This couldn't happen now.

"Listen, Eren...I've been thinking," she started to say, but Eren was propelled into action before she could finish. This  _definitely_ couldn't happen now

"No! Stop! Don't say anything!" he yelled and she looked taken aback. 

She was about to open her mouth to say something more but he quickly whirled around and slammed the door behind him, leaving a confused River sitting on the bed. He heard a muffled "What the fuck?" but she made no immediate moves to follow him.

He leaned up against the door and covered his face with his hands. He was sure that she was going to suggest that they get married and under no circumstances could that happen today. It wasn't as if he was object to it; quite the opposite. But his behavior had probably indicated to her that he wasn't ready and that infuriated him. He knew she would probably ask him about it later but he couldn't think of what to tell her. He had a plan and he needed to stick to it.

Suddenly, the door swung open and there was nothing supporting his weight as he fell backwards. He landed with a crash, narrowly avoiding River, who had jumped out of the way at the last moment. He stared at her from his position on the floor as she looked down at him with an unreadable expression.

"What is your fucking problem today?" she asked as she stepped over him and Eren groaned once she left the room. He could tell she was upset by the tone of her voice but he couldn't do anything about it.

 _Just wait and you will understand_ , he thought to himself, _Just wait, please._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update tomorrow which will be another part of a 2 part chapter...thingie. 
> 
> I got a Lion King sweatshirt for Christmas from my grandmother and at first I thought it was fugging ugly but now I dig it. It's better than what my 16-year-old cousin got from her. He got a female jumpsuit. We aren't really sure why...


	30. New Year's Eve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Someday, I would like to move to a place where I can see the stars again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Auld Lang Syne](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKtQS_prDh0)

It didn't help that Eren was being sketchy as hell, but River was  _not_  feeling well at all. She knew she had a fever but refused to take her temperature and to top it all off, she was fucking constipated. Normally, she would have just lied down and told Eren what was going on, but he seemed oddly excited about the surprise plans he had made for New Year's.

He had told her to dress warmly but would give no other indicator as to what was going on. She knew that there was no way they were going to Time's Square this late. It would be pointless as people had been waiting for days already to get a good view of the ball dropping. 

They had been celebrating over at Auruo and Petra's place. The party was still going strong but Eren decided to drag her from their house, insisting that they had somewhere to be. After bidding both hosts goodbye, who seemed to know exactly what was going on.

"Does this have something to do with my late Christmas present?" she asked as they got into a cab.

"Maybe," Eren said vaguely before turning to the cab driver, "Silver Towers, please."

"Silver Towers? Why the hell are we going to Silver Towers?" she asked, more agitated than she normally would be. Her stomach was starting to hurt and she really didn't want to throw up and ruin Eren's excitement.

Surely Eren didn't get a place there. River knew he didn't have enough money for that and she liked to think that he would have at least run it by her. But when they reached the building, Eren automatically knew which tower to enter, which floor to press, and had the key that would allow them entrance into the residence

"Eren..." River started but stopped when a sharp pain in her stomach stopped her.

Eren turned to look at her after switching on a light and she quickly schooled her expression.

"The chief of surgery lives here," Eren said sheepishly, "I asked him if I could borrow his place for tonight since he is out of town."

River gave him an uncertain look and looked around the pristine place. Whatever kinky shit Eren was planning, River wasn't sure she was up for it, New Year's or not. Before she could say anything, however, Eren took her hand and led her through the house before opening a door that led to a terrace. She now understood why he had said to dress warmly if all they were going to do was stand on a terrace.

"He said that this is one of the best views for the New Year's Day fireworks," Eren told her before pulling out his phone and checking the time, "Good, we only have fifteen minutes until the ball drops."

He glanced over at her and grinned, fidgeting slightly. If River was less feverish and wasn't so focused on the pain in her side, she would have noticed just how nervous Eren was acting.

She had noticed the past couple of days, especially the day before when the subject of marriage had come up. She was going to suggest that they get engaged then, but Eren had all but slammed the door in her face before she could even get a word out. This left her more bewildered than hurt. She was sure that he loved her but maybe he wasn't ready to marry her at all. This fact left her a bit angry at him. She had planned to ask him about his ridiculous behavior but then decided that he would tell her what he was thinking when he was ready, much to her discomfort at not knowing.

Eren grabbed the railing and leaned backwards, face tilted upwards. She gazed at him, seeing childlike innocence on his face as he did so.

"You can't really see the stars, even here," he said, "Someday, I would like to move to a place where I can see the stars again."

He didn't say anything after that and River quietly responded, "Someday, we will."

He looked over at her with a small smile on his face and nodded before looking back up at the sky. River leaned forward against the railing, looking out over the city, trying not to think about how sick she was feeling. After a moment, she felt Eren wrap his arms around her and rest his chin on her head. They stayed like that until an alarm went off on Eren's phone, signaling that they had one more minute until the new year.

"I'm glad I found you, Eren," River said after a moment, "Even if I had to save your ass from muggers."

"I could have done it myself!" Eren defended and River turned around to look at him.

"That's right. I'm sure you could have handled it perfectly passed out," River said sarcastically.

"Well, if I hadn't passed out, I would have never met you," Eren was inching his face closer to hers.

"So, you are saying you planned it?" River raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I did," he responded teasingly.

"You are so full of shit," River said just before he pressed his lips to hers.

Eren must have set another alarm on his phone for when midnight hit but he didn't bother switching it off as he kissed her. The moment he opened his mouth and allowed her tongue entrance, she forgot all about the sharp pain in her stomach as they continued to kiss each other fervently. The fireworks started but neither of them noticed. Suddenly, Eren pulled away from her.

"Are you okay?" he asked, pulling off a glove, "You're hot."

"Thanks, brat," River said but cringed as the back of his hand touched her forehead.

"Fuck, River! You are burning up!" He exclaimed, "How long have you had a fever?"

He was going "doctor mode" on her and she sighed. "Since this afternoon. It's no big deal."

"What are your other symptoms?" he asked forcefully.

River shrugged and said, "It's probably just a bug. I can't shit and my stomach hurts, that's all."

Before she could object, Eren yanked her coat upwards and pressed his fingers gently on her stomach. When he hit a spot on her right side, she hissed in pain and he retracted his hand, with wide eyes.

"It's as hard as a rock right there," he said, "Do you feel like throwing up? On a scale of one to ten, how bad does it hurt? Do you have chills?"

"Y-yeah, I guess," River answered,"An...eight. And of course I have chills, we are outside and its cold."

Eren ran his hands through his hair and pulled out his cellphone before dialing a number and putting it to his ear.

"Hello?" he said into the phone, "Yes, we need an ambulance to 620 West, 42nd Street. Silver Towers."

"Eren, what the fu-"

"I think my girlfriend's appendix ruptured," Eren said over her. River stopped and considered this as Eren continued talking to the dispatcher. What he said made a surprising amount of sense.

She didn't even notice when he got off the phone. As soon as he scooped her up in his arms bridal style, she resisted until the pain made her stop.

"I can walk by myself," she mumbled halfheartedly. She knew the fever must be getting to her for her to agree to being carried like this. He continued to carry her to the elevator and pressed the button to go down to the main floor.

"Shut up. You shouldn't have even walked anywhere," Eren said worriedly, "You should have told me when it started hurting."

"I didn't want to ruin your plans," River said and she suddenly felt a bit guilty that they had been ruined anyway, "Sorry that we missed the fireworks."

Eren sighed, "They aren't as important as getting you to a hospital. I'm sure we will get to see them next year."

River didn't say anything and tried not to focus on the ever increasing pain in her stomach. Once they reached outside, Eren sat down on a stone railing that was just outside the door and continued to cradle River in his arms.

"It's fucking cold out here," River complained.

"Do you hate the cold?" Eren asked, looking down at her.

"I'd rather be too hot than too cold," was her answer.

"Not me. You can always put more clothes on but you can't take all your clothes off," Eren said.

"I don't mind," River responded and Eren laughed. 

After a moment of silence between the two of them, River said, "This was a great fucking way to bring in the new year."

Eren made a noise before responding, "I haven't even given you your Christmas present yet."

"That wasn't my Christmas present?" 

"It was part of it."

"What was the other part?"

Just then, a siren sounded as an ambulance came around the corner and pulled in front of them. EMTs came out and Eren stood approaching them.

"I'll give it to you later, okay?" he said before a stretcher was produced from the back of the ambulance.

"You're the one who made the call?" one of the EMTs asked Eren and he nodded as he laid River down on the stretcher. 

"It'll be okay, River," he said, grabbing onto her hand.

"I honestly think you are more worried than I am," she responded.

And with that, the EMTs loaded her into the ambulance with Eren following close behind. Once all the doors were shut, Eren told them which hospital to go to, and with the siren blaring, they sped off. But Eren's hand never left hers.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bit weird but I wrote it while angry. Some anon told me that I was homophobic for making Levi female in this story and it kind of pissed me off. 
> 
> Anyway, hope the last day of this year goes well for you all. I'm so ready for this year to end. 2013 can suck my dick.
> 
> Happy New Year! :)


	31. New Year's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Levi, will you marry me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not even going to hide what this chapter is about. I actually almost cried while listening to this song while writing this song omg. [Marry Me](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghZt2cILcCU) by Train

It took River a few minutes to get the energy to open her eyes and a few more to actually focus on her surroundings.

She was in a hospital room, I.V.s hooked to her as well as a heart monitor, and it took her few seconds to remember why she was there in the first place. She was propped up a bit, but when she tried to sit up fully, a hand pushed her back into the pillow.

"Hey, you're awake again," a voice came and she looked up and saw it was Eren.

"Again?" River asked, her throat scratchy and dry. 

Eren nodded and sat back down in a chair that was beside the bed. "You were kind of out of it. It was a couple hours ago. You actually passed out in the ambulance and they took you right into surgery."

"Did you-were you my surgeon?" River asked him.

"Nah, they wouldn't let me," Eren said, "I  _was_  kind of a mess."

"I was fine. You worry too damn much."

"Levi, you ruptured your appendix! You could have  _died_ ," Eren replied, a bit aggravated.

"I've faced worse," River sighed and winced at the slight sting in her stomach.

Eren pursed his lips and said, "So you mentioned. You also made fun of your actual surgeon's name."

"What is his name?"

Eren hesitated before answering, "Doctor Bush."

River scoffed, "Can't imagine why I would make fun of  _that_. Is his first name Harry?"

"He happens to be the head resident and its taken me a while to get in his good graces," Eren scolded, "It wouldn't kill you to be polite every once in a while."

"I just got my fucking appendix taken out. Aren't you supposed to be pitying me?"

Eren looked at her for a moment before his expression turned into one you would use for a toddler and he leaned forward.

"Aw, I'm sorry that poor River is feeling so sick," Eren cooed in a baby voice, "Does River want Eren to kiss it better?"

He leaned forward to kiss her but she swatted him away.

"You are such an ass," River grumbled, "Can you at least get me some water?"

Eren laughed and stood up.

"I want the-"

"Bottled kind. Not the tap water," Eren finished before bending over to kiss her on the forehead, "I'll be right back."

With that, he left the room and River sighed and relaxed in the bed. She listened to her heart monitor beep evenly. She looked over at the clock and saw that it was only seven in the morning. River figured that Eren must have been exhausted but he didn't show it. He must have gotten some sleep while she was asleep.

River wondered briefly if Eren had told anybody she was in the hospital. She knew Steve would throw a bitch fit if she was late for another deadline but this time she had an adequate excuse.

She raised her hands to rub at her eyes and stopped when she felt metal against her face. It wasn't the stupid heart monitor on her pointer finger and as she took her hand away to see what it was, she was struck speechless.

There, on her left hand, third finger, was diamond ring. It was a white gold, diamond encrusted ring that had a bridal set diamond in between two birthstones, aquamarine and blue zircon, River was assuming. It was simple, yet absolutely beautiful. It fit a bit loosely on her finger but she couldn't help but stare at it, at a loss for words. She could hear that her heart rate was faster but she couldn't  bring herself to be embarrassed.

Someone cleared their throat at the door and she looked up with wide eyes. Eren was standing with a bottle of water, looking from her to the ring back to her again. She could swear that his face was turning red but he merely crossed the room and put the bottle of water on the bedside table before taking her hand and falling down on one knee.

She stared at him expectantly, not exactly trusting her voice to say anything sarcastic or even heartfelt.

"I..." Eren started before gulping and continuing, "I don't know what to say."

River raised her eyebrows at him. Leave it to Eren not to have something to say during the most important moment of their lives. Then again, she wasn't sure what to say either. She was becoming increasingly more and more aware of the increased beeping of the heart monitor

"I never really thought," Eren started again, "That I would get the chance to live a happy and peaceful life. I've loved you all this time and now that I can build a life with you, I want to make sure that you are happier and safer in this life just like you've always made me feel."

River tried to control her expression but a small smile was forming on her face as he spoke.

"Even if we couldn't be together like we wanted to then, I want to make sure we can now. And if we have another life after this one, I want this promise to stay the same," At this, Eren looked her fully in the eyes, green matching her grey ones.

"Levi, will you marry me?"

Of all the times she had seen his face, he had never looked more attractive than he did in this moment. She had always known that she wanted to grow old with him, feel him in bed beside her, hold his hand, and be the one that would comfort him just as he could comfort her. He was her best friend as well as her lover, but all these things seemed even more real with him looking at her the way he was; eyes so full of love and hope for their future.

River turned her face away in an effort not to cry and said in a regrettably shaky voice, "You damn idiot. Of course I will."

Eren let out one of the most happy laughs she had ever heard from him and he surged up and captured her face in his hand before giving her a chaste kiss. River tried to pull his face towards hers again, but he kissed her nose instead.

"You proposed in a damn hospital," she said, trying to appear grumpy, but the smile on her face ruined the effect.

"It was going to be more romantic," Eren said defensively, "I had it planned out where I would propose on a terrace on New Year's with fireworks in the background, but  _someone's_  appendix ruptured."

"Not my fault," River grunted but Eren cut her off with a kiss that wasn't as chaste as the first one.

However, it was cut short when a nurse barged in.

"Miss...oh! Hello, Doctor Jaeger," she said brightly and slightly embarrassed, "I-I was just checking on her. It showed that her heart rate was elevated but...I guess...I'll just leave."

"Tammy! We're engaged!"

The nurse looked shocked at his shout but smiled and congratulated him nonetheless and River rolled her eyes but couldn't help looking at her ring once more just to make sure it was real. That this all was real. And when Eren looked down at her again, nothing could make her doubt this reality.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [The engagement ring](http://www.kay.com/en/kaystore/engagement---wedding/yellow---white-diamonds-1-2-ct-tw-bridal-set-10k-two-tone-gold-940264400--1/100006/100006.100007.100010).
> 
> So look at that. They are finally engaged those two dorks.
> 
> Okay, I just want to say a big thank you to all of you who commented in the last chapter. I really love your guys' support and it means a lot that you guys love this story and defend it (some more *ahem* violently than others). I almost feel bad for having a bad ending for it. 
> 
> Just kidding guys, I love these characters and you guys too much to make it end unhappily. :)
> 
> But seriously, you guys are the greatest. Never ever change and thank you for your continued support and unwavering loyalty. 
> 
> *On another note, Levi and Eren's birthstones are almost identical and if that isn't fate, I don't know what is. I used blue zircon for his birthstone just because it's prettier than topaz (in my opinion).
> 
> **I also had a dream which inspired me to want to write another story. It would be such a crack story but I won't even consider writing it until I'm done with this story. I'm one of those single minded people. It involves a crossdressing Eren, our two favorite lesbians, Ymir and Historia, some WinMin, Marco and his pet turtle, Jean, an artist Levi, a business owning Mikasa, and two familiars named Connie and Sasha. Some things are probably going to change if I ever do write it, but it was a crazy dream let me tell you.


	32. Feel Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Once you turn eighteen, I'll spring you from here, okay? And then I'll take you home with me. No way I'm letting you get away from me, alright?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Feel Again](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JAElYCiFCM) by One Republic
> 
> Ladies and gentlemen, we are going to go back in time a bit.

**_November 16, 2013_ **

The blond man looked at the paper once more.

_Havana Café Bar._

He knew he had the right place, but he didn't see the woman he was supposed to be meeting up with. He had been told to look for blue hair, which he thought was weird, but had agreed. She was late but he hadn't flown all the way from London to Frankfurt, Germany just to give up after a random girl decided to be late. It had only taken him forty-five minutes to make it to the town of Alzey after that. 

He had been looking for  _him_  for as long as he could remember. He had put several queries online for him but every time someone had given him a lead, it had only turned out to be a false one. Until this latest one on an obscure forum caught his attention.

_I think I know who are talking about but I will have to take you to him._

Fearing the worst, he responded,  _Is he dead?_

 _No,_  came the reply,  _He used to be my neighbor, but he moved. Sort of._

After that, he had insisted on meeting her and had stressed meeting in a public place as not to freak her out. After a few emails, she had agreed, much to his relief.

The man knew German from his father, who had lived in Germany until he was twenty-five, but his native tongue was English. It was fortunate that he had been raised to speak both languages or else finding  _him_  would have been a lot more difficult.

"Um, are you Reiner Braun?" a voice spoke to him in German and he turned to see a girl in mostly dark clothing and blue hair, true to her word. Her clothes looked torn and had chains hanging from them and her hair was the only thing that brought color to her outfit.

"Y-Yes!" he responded standing up and shaking her hand, "Heidi, correct?"

She smiled and nodded before sitting down. He sat as well and a waiter came to ask if they needed anything. Reiner only ordered a coffee and she ordered tea before the man left, leaving the two of them alone.

"You are a lot more handsome than I thought you were gonna be," she told him. 

He laughed and said, "I wasn't sure what to expect when you said 'blue hair' but my expectations weren't far off."

She smiled at him but then looked serious for a moment.

"I suspect that you don't really want to chit chat, so let me be straight forward," she said, folding her hands in front of her, "How do you know Bertholdt Fubar?"

Reiner sighed. He had been hoping to avoid this question. He didn't have any idea what Bertholdt did or what his childhood was like.

"We knew each other a long time ago," Reiner said, not really lying.

The girl looked at him, expecting him to elaborate.

"We, uh, met each other one summer. I lost contact with him and I would like to talk to him again," Reiner said weakly.

Heidi didn't look like she believed him in the least. She blew a breath out through her nose and was about to say something when the waiter came back with their drinks. Once he left, she took a sip before narrowing her eyes at Reiner.

"My mom says I'm full of some pretty weird ideas, but I like to think that I notice things," she said to him, "I told you that Bertholdt was my neighbor so I can definitely tell you that you did  _not_  meet him one summer."

"I-"

"I want to ask you a question," she said seriously, "And don't you dare laugh and pretend like its nothing."

Reiner wasn't sure what to make of the strange girl in front of him. She could definitely see through his lies and even though she agreed to meet him here, she could always turn tail and not take him to Bertholdt.

"Alright," Reiner answered.

She took a deep breath then asked, "Are you reincarnated?"

Reiner stared at her, feeling as if the world was sinking beneath him. "What?"

She chuckled.

"I suppose that I should explain. See, up until the time he was eight, Berty always played with me and my older sister. We used to have this stupid pretend game where we were trapped behind walls and we had to fight titans or whatever. Bert always said it was real but then he started doing some crazy shit. He would bite his hand so hard that it would start bleeding, start screaming about really weird stuff, and so on. It was kind of scary. After a while, we weren't supposed to play with him. Some weird shit happened in his house and the next thing I knew, he was sent to a mental hospital."

A mental hospital. Titans. He remembered. All these thoughts were swirling around in his head. What was he supposed to do now?

"That was ten years ago now," she continued, "But the reason I ask if you are reincarnated is because he talked about you all the time. Also a girl named Annie. Someone named Berik too. There were others but you three were the main ones he talked about, you especially. He never went anywhere in the Summer and unless you were in his class, which by your accent, I can assume that isn't the case, then reincarnation is the actual answer."

He looked at her bright eyes and saw that it was what she genuinely believed. He considered denying it but he doubted he could fool the teenager.

"You are right," he sighed, "I've been trying to find him as long as I can remember. I didn't expect anybody to believe things like this so easily."

She actually laughed and took a drink of her tea before answering with, "I believe a lot of things. Some call it stupid and idealistic, but I've always thought believing in the metaphysical leads me to have a happier life. If reincarnation exists, maybe it gives people a chance to be better the second time around, y'know?"

Reiner hummed in agreement and took a sip of his coffee.

"Bertholdt," he started, "Is still in the hospital now?"

Heidi nodded sadly. "Yes, but he turns eighteen soon and if he chooses to leave he can."

Reiner set down his cup and quickly pulled out his wallet.

"Can he get visitors?"

"I-uh, well yes, but its only close friends and family," she said, watching him pull money out.

He stopped and looked up at her, wondering how he was supposed to get to visit him. He was steadily growing impatient when she smiled brightly.

"Luckily for you, I am considered a close friend and I have a plan."

* * *

"Hello, Miss Ganze, back again?" a nurse asked her happily.

The blue haired teenager nodded and asked, "How is he doing today?"

The nurse sighed, "He doesn't want to talk to anybody today and didn't want to go outside. He apparently had another dream."

Heidi nodded more eagerly this time and said, "Well, I'll just head there then. I know what room it is!"

She had her hand intertwined with Reiner's and started to pull him along with her when the nurse cleared her throat.

"Heidi? You know that it's close friends and family. I'm not exactly sure who..."

"This is my boyfriend. He's just here for emotional support. He can wait out in the hall if its a problem," Heidi said confidently. The nurse considered this for a moment before waving them both away.

She started once more, pulling him over to the elevators and pressing the button. She looked up at him as they waited.

"Are you alright?"

Reiner released a breath he didn't know he had been holding.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"You're shaking."

He was suddenly aware that he was shaking and his heart was bounding faster than a jackrabbit. He didn't realize how nervous he was. He had literally been waiting for this moment for twenty years and he didn't even know how he would figure out what to say to Bertholdt when he saw him.

The elevator doors opened and they both entered. They were the only ones in it and once the doors closed, Heidi turned towards him and squished his face between her hands.

"Hey, chill," she said, "I can guarantee that he's going to be thrilled to see you and if he knew you were coming, he drown in his own sweat and you know it."

Reiner sighed and chuckled as she withdrew her hands.

"However, be aware that this is a  _mental_  hospital and he's been told all his life that his past life is just him having some sort of mental illness. There is bound to be some issues there but Bertholdt is stronger than that."

Reiner nodded and the doors opened. He followed the girl out as they turned down the hall before turning down another one. Before he knew it, they were in front of a door.

"Usually a nurse is supposed to come with us but either they just really like me or they are slacking on their jobs. Or security at this place just sucks," she said, "Either way its good for us today."

She turned and leaned against the wall beside the door.

"You aren't going in?" he asked her.

"Nah. I have a feeling you two will need some privacy," she shrugged, "No fucking, though."

Reiner chuckled awkwardly before putting his hand on the doorknob and entering and quickly shutting the door behind him.

The first thing he noticed, of course, was the dark-haired boy sitting at the other end of the room at a desk that had been set up in front of the window. From what he could tell, he was reading a book and didn't acknowledge the entrance into his room.

Reiner didn't know what to say, but Bertholdt quickly broke the silence.

"I already said that I don't want to go anywhere or talk to people who think I'm crazy."

"I-I don't think you're crazy," Reiner replied, hoping that he would recognize his voice.

No such luck as Bertholdt sighed but didn't turn around. 

"You are lying just to get me to take my meds," the taller boy said, "What's the harm in just letting me continue to read my book in peace?"

Reiner was at a loss for words. He stepped forward a few paces before stopping.

"Bertholdt."

"Please, go away."

"Bertholdt-"

"I said, go away,  _please_ ," he repeated, irritation rising in his voice as he flipped a page in his book.

"Bertl," Reiner said, making use of his nickname.

Bertholdt stiffened at the simple phrase, obviously realizing something was off.

"It's me," Reiner pushed out, "It's Reiner."

The boy stood up and turned so suddenly that the chair fell over. He looked at Reiner with wide eyes as if he was having a hard time believing his eyes. Reiner grinned at him but Bertholdt continued to stare at him.

Neither of them moved for what seemed like ages before Bertholdt let out a broken, "Is it really you?"

Reiner nodded, joy bubbling deep from inside. Suddenly, Bertholdt launched himself at Reiner and the blond had to steady himself from the assault of the taller boy.

Bertholdt was sobbing into his shoulder and Reiner wasn't sure when he started crying but they were both suddenly embarrassing messes of tears and snot.

"How did-how did you find me?" Bertholdt hiccuped, still clutching the smaller man tightly.

"Persistence. And your friend Heidi. She brought me here," Reiner answered.

"Heidi was the only one who ever believed me," he muttered to the blond.

"So she said."

They continued to hold each other, not wanting to let go. Reiner's heart felt so full that it pained him and he didn't realize he was laughing until Bertholdt started to laugh with him.

"Hey, Bertholdt."

"Yeah?"

Reiner pulled away and looked him in the eyes, drinking his handsome face in.

"Once you turn eighteen, I'll spring you from here, okay? And then I'll take you home with me. No way I'm letting you get away from me, alright?"

Bertholdt nodded tearfully and Reiner couldn't help pull his face down towards his as they shared their first kiss of their new life.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, Bertholdt and Reiner. I was going to introduce them sooner especially since Bert's birthday is in December, but I ran out of time. 
> 
> Just so you know, visitors never usually go anywhere without a nurse in a mental facility and if it is visiting hours, there is a common room where visitors meet patients. I just thought it would be more romantic this way so I took some creative licenses.
> 
> Like I said before, I'm going to be slowing down on updates now. I don't want to rush this story to its finish to soon and I don't want to force things to come or else I will end up hating this story. I will be updating at least once a week maybe twice if I feel inspired. :)


	33. Planning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "However, I didn't know how many more didn't have their memories and if they didn't, how they would react. So as of now, I've been keeping close tabs on those I have found."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Sweater Weather](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCdwKhTtNNw) by The Neighbourhood because it's too damn cold everywhere right now.

"Oi, when did my home become a halfway house?"

Sure enough, Krista was sprawled out on the floor, laptop open in front of her as well as some papers that looked like homework. Ymir was sitting cross legged beside her, talking rapidly into the phone, hashing out detail about something. Hanji was laid out on the couch in sweatpants and a hoodie, legs in the air as she moved them in a bicycle exercise. Even Petra was curled up in an armchair as she flipped through a baby magazine. Cook was curled up next to Ymir and she used her spare hand to stroke him.

"Levi! Just the man I wanted to see!" Hanji said, not stopping her leg exercises, "How are you healing up?"

River wasn't sure how exactly they had gotten into her house but she surmised that Eren must have let them in before he went to work, or Ymir decided to let them intrude into her home before she had even gotten up.

"I'm fine," River responded, "I still have my stitches in so I have to be careful when I take a shower."

"I'm sure Eren is more than happy giving you sponge baths," Hanji replied before winking at her, "Damn, he must have gone down on you hard for your appendix to burst."

"Hanji."

"Hmm?"

"Shut the fuck up."

"Can you both shut the fuck up for a moment," Ymir hissed as she covered the receiver of the phone, "I'm doing something important."

River rolled her eyes and went to the kitchen to get herself some cereal before deciding to forgo eating it in the kitchen and padded back to the living room, taking the loveseat that was unoccupied.

Ymir snapped the phone shut and looked up at River.

"Well, I've finally got the details hashed out for your book signing in Chicago at the end of the month," Ymir told her as she laid down, placing her head on the dog, using him as a pillow.

"What a great assistant you've got!" Hanji said, "It makes me miss my Moblit."

With that, she dropped her legs onto the couch and covered her face with her arms before groaning loudly. Everyone ignored her for the moment before she sat up and glanced around at all of them.

"Don't you have work to do?" River asked the woman.

"I'm doing it. Sort of. Ymir won't let me take a blood sample," Hanji replied.

"You are fucking crazy if you think that I'm going to let you anywhere near my body," Ymir said, "And I doubt Eren wouldn't let you either."

"It's for science!"

"I'm one hundred percent human. I promise," she told the other woman and Hanji sighed before leaning back on the couch.

"Don't you have anything else to do besides harass my P.A. and boyfriend?" River asked boredly before taking a bite of her cereal.

"Don't you mean fiance?" Petra asked from her chair, looking up from her magazine.

River could feel heat creeping onto her face but kept a straight face as she corrected herself. "Yes...fiance."

"You are practically bursting," Hanji giggled, "You can try not to smile all you want but your eyes say it all."

"Go away, Hanji," River mumbled.

"Hell no, it's freezing outside. No way I'm going back out there," she replied.

"Then why did you come over in the first place?" River asked.

"I wanted to talk about the project I mentioned to you before," Hanji said. Petra and Krista looked up from their work to gaze at her quizzically.

"What project?" Ymir asked from the floor.

Hanji leaned forward once more and clapped her hands together.

"My project of getting everyone together, of course."

There was a stillness in which everyone processed her words. River raised the bowl to her lips and drank the remaining milk out of it before getting up to put it in the dishwasher. When she came back, everyone was talking in excited voices.

"You really think that it will work? I mean it would take forever to actually find everyone," Petra said.

"That's why I started a while ago. I've already found some people. Bertholdt Fubar, for example, and more recently, Reiner Braun," she said.

That perked River's interest. She wasn't sure it was a good thing that Hanji had found them but she pushed down her negative feelings for the time being.

"You found Bert and Ernie?" Ymir said, sitting up.

"And you didn't think to mention that you've already found people or say you've talked to them?" River asked, irritated.

"I haven't spoken to them, Levi, just located them. It was easier for Mr. Fubar because he had more medical records being as he was in a mental institution," she replied easily, "I only just discovered Mr. Braun when Mr. Fubar was released from the hospital at the end of the year. It was quite exciting."

"Bertholdt was in a mental hospital?" Ymir asked and when Hanji nodded, she said, "I guess that makes sense. I'm surprised more of us  _weren't_ admitted to the funny farm."

"So, you are telling us that you found them, but haven't contacted them?" Krista inquired, homework abandoned, "Why?"

Hanji sighed.

"Those two weren't the only ones I found. I managed to locate Marco Bodt as well. I remember that his death greatly affected a great number of you so his name stuck out to me. He was married to a girl named Mina, I think. I actually went to go visit them. However, I only met Mina. When I mentioned our past lives, her reaction was violent. She got internal bleeding in her brain that later killed her."

Hanji looked down at this, clenching her hands.

"It's not your fault, Four Eyes," River said sharply. Hanji shook her head but said nothing.

"So...Mina...is dead? Again?" Krista asked morosely. Ymir looked sadly at the blonde but said nothing.

"What of Marco?" Petra asked and River silently thanked her for focusing on the more positive side of the situation.

"I never mentioned anything to Marco and he didn't remember then. As far as he knows, I was just a bystander. It happened three years ago. He and his daughter live in Florida as of now," Hanji responded, "But after that, I knew that I had to be careful. I know that both Levi and Krista passed out when their memories returned and in all honesty, you both probably should have gone to the hospital for a check over, but you both seem to be fine, which is a miracle. However, I didn't know how many more didn't have their memories and if they didn't, how they would react. So as of now, I've been keeping close tabs on those I have found."

"Who have you managed to find?" River asked.

Hanji contemplated before listing, "Marco, Bertholdt, and Reiner, of course. But also, Nile Dawk, Moses Brown, Rico Brzenska, and Darius Zackley. That's it so far. Research takes money, and like I said, I don't know how to distinguished who remembers and who doesn't without causing harm."

It was silent for a moment before Ymir said, "Merchandise."

River scrunched her face in confusion. "What?"

"Make merchandise. Like...hoodies with the Wings of Freedom on it. Bumper stickers. Posters and shit. Most people will just think its a cool design but if people who see it and know what it means, you can contact them freely and see if they know of anybody else who was there with us."

"That's brilliant, Ymir!" Krista said and Hanji shook her head approvingly.

"We could sell it online, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it will be popular enough for people to find it," Hanji said.

"River," Petra asked, "That book of yours that they are turning into a movie. Didn't the main character's best friend have a favorite hoodie with wings on it?"

"Well, yeah. I guess our uniforms were the inspiration for it, but I've seen the designs for it and it doesn't look like our uniforms really," River shrugged.

With that, Ymir hopped up and started dialing a number. "I'm getting in contact with the costume designer. We need to change the way it looks."

She walked out of the room, phone held to her ear.

"So, if the design is in a movie, there will products of it that sell. But doesn't that make it harder to find who actually knows what it means?" Krista asked.

"Levi's book is severely popular in multiple countries as will the movie will be. However, making something that popular will put a giant bulls eye on Rivaille for those who do remember," Hanji said happily, "It will make our job a lot easier in some aspects, but harder in others."

"And all the profit I make off the merchandise will go to Hanji's research," River added.

"Aw! Levi, I knew you cared, you precious darling!" Hanji said before launching herself at the smaller woman.

"Get off!" she yelled when the woman latched onto her.

Ymir popped her head around the corner.

"Can any of you draw the actual Wings of Freedom? They want to know what it would look like before they will agree to the change," she announced.

Petra raised her hand, "I can draw a rough sketch of it. I took art for two semesters, so I suppose that I'm not too awful at it."

"Great," Ymir responded before she disappeared again.

Hanji was still clutching onto River while she was shouting that her stitches would break if she didn't let go. Petra went back to her magazine and Krista took Ymir's spot, using Cook as a pillow.

It wasn't much, but it was a start.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, you guys, you win. I had never intended from the get-go to make JeanMarco a thing but I read the [Like a Drum](http://archiveofourown.org/series/58450) series and saw your guys' comments and now I can't resist. So yes, there will be JeanMarco.
> 
> I also shamelessly stole [nigthtcrawler554](http://archiveofourown.org/users/nightcrawler554/pseuds/nightcrawler554)'s headcanon of what people would say when they found out River's appendix ruptured.
> 
> I am posting earlier than I had planned because OMG THAT WAS A HORRIBLE SNK CHAPTER UPDATE I SWEAR THEY GET WORSE AND WORSE. I figured we needed some happy. Which means, I might actually get off the fence and write some smut, which I'm really wary about because I've never written smut and I don't know if I would be any good at it. We'll see...


	34. Avoidance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'm pissed because I gave you a blow job for nothing!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this was part of a prompt that [Alex](http://nokasa-ravioli.tumblr.com/) gave me. Alex wanted to see River going to Eren's workplace, so here you are! :D
> 
> Speaking of Alex, look at this amazing art he did of fem!Levi for this fic!!! AAGHAGGHAHA
> 
>  
> 
> [ Just look!](http://nokasa-ravioli.tumblr.com/post/72953882394/fem-levi-00-by-nokasa-ravioli-tumblr-needs-moar)  
> [Look at it!](http://nokasa-ravioli.tumblr.com/post/72953553038/sketch-dump-01-by-nokasa-ravioli-fem-levi-yooo)
> 
>  
> 
> Rating bump because of poorly written smut :3
> 
> Song: [Such a Colorful World](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_sssKBNOZ4) by Max & Simon

Eren was getting a bottle of water from one of the vending machines when his phone started buzzing, signaling a call. He retrieved his phone and saw it was River's editor, he feared that she was having another "episode" and hurriedly answered it.

"Steve? What's wrong? Is River okay?" he panicked.

"Nothing is wrong. Calm down," Steve's voice came, "Although, by your response I can assume that the asshole isn't with you."

Eren shifted the phone so it was held up with his shoulder and pressed the appropriate buttons for his water and watched it fall to the dispenser.

"No, she's not. What's going on?"

"Oh, nothing, she's just doing her normal 'hide-to-avoid-deadlines' shit again," Steve said in an irritated tone, "She won't answer her phone either and Ymir doesn't know where she is either."

"She isn't at the house?"

"No, and Ymir called your friends and she isn't with them either."

Eren sighed. "I'll try calling her. If I find her, I'll let you know."

"Thanks, Eren," the other man said before hanging up. 

Eren rolled his eyes at the ridiculousness of the situation and wondered how many times Steve had gone through this before. He scrolled through his contact until he found her number, but before he could press call, a name popped up on the screen.

"Hello, Ymir," Eren answered the phone.

"Where the fuck is your fiancee? I don't have time to deal with her bullshit," Ymir angrily said into the phone, "I've already got Steve up my ass about her fucking deadline and I don't need this shit."

"I don't know where she is. Quit bitching at me," Eren said, annoyed, "I'm at the hospital so I'm sure she won't be coming here. Did you check the park? Sometimes she takes Cook there."

"Cook was at the condo when Steve checked," Ymir answered tiredly, "And Eren, wherever you are, I'm sure that's the first place she'd go to. Text me when she gets there and distract her if you can. We are coming right over but it might take a while."

"Ymir-" but the line was disconnected before he could say anything. He wasn't sure why she was so positive River would come here considering the chance that he would just tell Steve or Ymir was dangerously high.

He shook his head but headed to the nurses station to get some files he needed before he started rounds. His resident didn't need see him loitering around when he knew he should be working. There hadn't been much excitement for the past couple hours and Eren knew that some of his fellow interns were probably catching up on some sleep while a few of them were doing rounds as well.

Just as he reached the nurse's station, he saw a familiar figure heading towards him and cursed Ymir for being right. 

"River? What are you doing here?" he asked, feigning ignorance when she saw him. She shrugged.

"Can't I come see you at work?"

"I suppose so. You just never have before," he said before turning to the nurse, "Cara, can you get me the files that are set aside for me?"

The red-haired woman nodded and Eren turned back to River.

"So what do you think? Do I look sexy as a doctor?" Eren said teasingly.

"Scrubs don't really do it for me," River shrugged, "You should have been a police officer."

Eren rolled his eyes and turned when the nurse cleared her throat.

"Here you go, Doctor Jaeger," she said, smiling brightly.

"Thank you," Eren replied, turning to his attention to the folders and flipping through them quickly. He suddenly felt eyes on him and looked back at the nurse, who was grinning at him.

"Uh.."

"Is there anything else I can get for you, Doctor Jaeger," she asked politely.

"Ah, no, thanks," Eren responded and she nodded before glancing at River and walking away quickly with a strange look on her face.

Eren glanced over at River and noticed she was glaring at the nurse that had just left.

"You okay?" Eren asked and she jolted when she realized he was talking to her.

"I'm fine," she snapped angrily. He didn't know what her problem was but he was wracking his brain on how to distract her long enough for Steve and Ymir to arrive.

"You, uh, wanna come on rounds with me?" Eren blurted, "You would have to wait in the halls because of patient confidentiality but you would get to see some of what I do."

She contemplated this before asking, "You don't have any surgeries today?"

"I did. I had two this morning. They both should be waking up now so unless you want to go home, you can come along," Eren told her. He started walking and she caught up with him.

"No, I'll tag along," River said quickly, "It's not like I have anything better to do."

That was a lie.

"Good," Eren smiled, "The first two patients we are seeing actually requested me to be in on their surgery. That's been happening more and more often now."

He was giddy by this information. Only really great surgeons ever got requested and he was pleased to see that he was moving up in people's opinions.

"That's great, Eren," River said, offering a proud smile.

They arrived at the room and River took to leaning beside the door as Eren entered the room.

Mila Walters was a fidgety nineteen year old girl who had been in to gt a blood clot in her heart removed. Eren had done his best to comfort her before the surgery and that was when she wanted him to do it. His resident had agreed and he had scrubbed in.

"Well, Mila," Eren smiled, "how are you feeling?"

She turned to him and gave a half smile before replying, "Groggy and crappy."

"Well that's to be expected until the drugs wear off. I'm just here to let you know that the surgery went perfectly. We managed to remove the clot with little difficulty. It's lucky that we caught it before it did any damage. You might want to be careful doing physical activity for a while."

Eren continued to list things she should avoid and assure her that everything had gone smoothly. After he was done, he asked her if she had any questions. Instead of answering, she took his hand.

"Thank you so much, Doctor Jaeger," She smiled up at him and batting her eyes at him, "You are fantastic. Thank you."

He squeezed her hand and then released it, having to pull away when she held on.

"Your family should be right up, Miss Walters," Eren said politely before smiling and leaving the room.

He started walking again, River falling in step beside him.

"She grabbed onto your hand," she pointed out.

"Patients do that sometimes when they are trying to find an anchor," Eren shrugged, "Happens all the time."

"I see," she replied, lost in thought. She wasn't even paying attention when she entered the next patient's room with him.

"River, you can't be in here, remember?"

River shook her head and went to leave when and elderly voice from the bed stopped her.

"She can be in here, I don't care, Doctor," the woman said, "Confidentiality be damned."

River hesitated before standing beside Eren.

"River, this is Candace Wells. She was in here to have part of her liver removed," Eren introduced.

"It was diseased," she told River who looked taken aback by her honesty, "Who is this young lady, Doctor Jaeger?"

"This," Eren beamed, throwing his arm around River's shoulder, "Is my fiancee, River."

The old woman's face showed amusement. 

"Fiancee, huh? Well, that news alone is going to break the hearts of a lot of people."

"Not really-" Eren started but River shushed him and asked the woman to explain.

"Oh, well I've heard the nurses talk about how handsome this young man is and how great he is at his job and  _blah, blah, blah_. The man is eye candy for the ladies and all the men love him because he can do his job. Part of the reason I asked for this young sprout with a firm butt."

Eren was blushing deep red and decided to go over the surgery details while Candace chuckled the entire time. He assured her that her family would be in to see her soon and tried to make a hasty exit but not before she had a final say.

"Keep a hold of him, River!"

"That's the plan, Mrs. Wells."

"Holy shit," Eren muttered exiting the room, not caring to see if River was following after him. She was and she waited outside the door as he checked on his patient. When he came out she walked beside him once more.

"So do you get a lot of requests from female patients then?" River asked.

"If I didn't know better, I would say you were jealous," Eren said back, smartly.

River pursed her lips and looked away angrily. 

"I never said that."

"It was implied. But not usually. I only just started getting people asking for me," Eren shrugged, "It's great being recognized for my talents finally even if I'm only an intern."

"Talent isn't the only thing you are being recognized for," River said grumpily.

Eren stopped walking and turned to look at her.

"You are being awfully grumpy. Maybe you should head home," Eren said, pretending to stop to think before saying, "Oh, that's right. You can't because Steve and Ymir are  looking for you."

River's eyes narrowed. "How did you know that?"

Eren held up his phone teasingly. "They called me and asked if you were around. You weren't at the time, but maybe I should give them a call and-"

But Eren didn't get to finish his sentence. He was suddenly and very roughly pulled into a spare storage room. The door shut behind him before he could process what happened and River took advantage of his confusion by pulling down his pants.

"River, wha-ah!"

At that moment, she took her tongue and ran it along his cock. His grip on the cellphone and files tightened as she grabbed his length and stroked while she kissed his balls before sucking on them. Eren held in a moan as he could feel himself getting hard. River swirled her tongue at the head before kissing down his cock. He could feel heat pooling in his lower belly and he couldn't help but think how amazing that his fiancee was giving him head at work. The idea that anybody could walk in on them in this compromising position made him shamefully hard.

River took her hand and pumped his member a few times just to hear Eren moan. He dropped his phone to cover his mouth but then uncovered it.

"River-ha-" he started, breathing getting increasingly difficult, "You might want to-agh-stop. You might hate me later-shit!"

She ignored him and put her lips around the head of his cock and sucked gently and slowly. Eren groaned at the sensation. She continued to slowly take more and more of him into her mouth. Eren abandoned the files and threaded his hand into her hair. He vaguely noticed how long it had gotten but that thought flew out the window when she pulled away quickly only to fondle the tip with her tongue once more.

"Fuck!"

She suddenly and quickly pushed him all the way into her mouth until he could feel that he was in her throat. When she swallowed, the pleasure hit him like a tidal wave and suddenly it took a lot of effort to stand.

She started setting a rhythm, her hands on his hips, preventing him from bucking and choking her. Eren looked down to see that her eyes were trained on him as her head bobbed back and forth. Small tears leaked out of the corner of her eyes as she was keeping her gag reflex at bay. It was literally one of the most sexiest things he had ever seen in his life.

He threw his head back as she increased her tempo guided by his hand in her hair. He could tell he was getting closer and he looked back down, seeing that she was using both her mouth and her hand for his cock while her other hand had traveled to his balls. The stimulation was overwhelming for him and he couldn't hold out anymore.

"R-Levi-ah-I'm gonna-! Shit! Levi!"

With that, he came into her mouth but she continued to stroke him through his orgasm as she did an uncharacteristic thing and swallowed before licking the rest up from his cock.

"Better there be no mess," she mumbled.

They were both slightly out of breath. River took it upon herself to pull up his underwear and scrubs before grabbing the back of his neck and pulling him into a kiss. He could taste himself on her tongue. He was about to return the favor when she pushed him away.

"Payment. For silence that I'm here," she explained.

At first he was indignant that she would use that she would use a blow job as a bribe but then remembered that Ymir and Steve were already on their way.

"Uh...about that.."

The door opened suddenly and standing on the other side was Petra, Ymir, and Steve.

Eren definitely did not want to be in a confined space with River at that moment, considering her face was showing unfathomable rage. When she spoke, it was eerily calm, which only frightened him more.

"You told them I was here?"

"N-no! Ymir guessed that you would come here so they were already on their way!" Eren defended.

"And you didn't  _think_  that you should tell me that?"

"I-well-wait, why are you getting pissed at me, you have a deadline you are avoiding!"

"I'm pissed because I gave you a blow job for nothing!"

"Thanks, River," Eren sighed.

Steve took this as the moment to explain, "Petra here saw you two enter the closet and when she saw us she told us where you two were. We all thought it best we let you guys finish up before we came barging in first, though."

Steve winked at Eren but all he could feel was dread.

"You son of a bitch," River said which only began her series of curses until Ymir sighed and smacked her across the head and took her and threw her over her shoulder.

"Shut the fuck up, Captain," Ymir said tiredly, "We really don't have time for you shit and I would much rather Steve be on you case than mine."

"You're fired, Ymir! You too, you fucking prick!"

"River, Ymir, this is a hospital! Watch your language!" Petra scolded as people had stopped to see the spectacle.

Ymir started walking with River protesting and insisting upon being put down with Steve behind her.

"See you at home, Eren," Ymir called.

"You are in deep shit, Jaeger!" River yelled.

And by the look of pity Petra gave him, Eren didn't doubt it for a second.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I finally tried my hand at smut...I don't know how well I did...oh well.
> 
> Eren...you dun it now, son.
> 
> Anyway, MY BIRTHDAY IS IN TEN DAYS SO I'M COUNTING DOWN HELL YES. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! And tell me if I should add more smut or never do it again because I don't know how well I did.


	35. Birthday and Rings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "This is the best birthday present ever given to me. Thank you, Ymir."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Daylight](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1q9ojtZqiI) by Maroon 5

Ymir hated wearing dresses but she figured it was worth it when she saw Krista in a blue, capped sleeved, satin dress that ended just above her knees. Her normally straight hair was curled and hanging loose, as opposed to Ymir's, which was up in a bun.

"Uh, you look great," Ymir managed to say and cursed herself for sounding so unsure but Krista beamed at her.

"So do you. Red looks great on you."

Ymir looked down at her own dress. It was satin as well and had beading at her side and only had one shoulder. She was rather impressed with herself for picking the dress out by herself. She had put a short, black jacket on to ward of the cold she might feel.

She had a simple black hand purse that didn't really suit her all that much but it was necessary to hold her special surprise.

Krista's mother appeared behind the blonde and smiled at Ymir.

"Hello! You look lovely, Ymir," the woman said as she quickly clasped a silver bracelet onto Krista's wrist.

"Thank you, Mrs. Lenz," she replied, still looking down at Krista. Neither of them saw Marta roll her eyes as she noticed the both of them checking each other out.

"Alright, I can see my work is done here," the woman said, stepping back after she put a jacket on Krista, "Off the two of you go!"

The both said goodbye and got in the elevator silently. Once the doors closed, Krista rounded on her.

"Mom wouldn't tell me anything about what's happening. Where are we going to dress up so nicely?"

"It's a surprise," Ymir grinned.

Krista puffed her cheeks in an attempt to look angry but it only struck Ymir as cute.

"Just wait.  You'll see soon enough."

In all honesty, Ymir was surprised that Krista's mother would allow her to go on what was undeniably a date with an older woman. Ymir always figured that most parents would worry about their teenage daughter going out with a soon-to-be twenty-three year-old, male or female. But Marta always seemed to like Ymir for some reason, probably knowing that she wouldn't do anything to harm Krista. Krista had told her a while ago that her mother had caught on to their less than platonic relationship, but the next time she had seen the woman, she didn't seem to harbor any resentment towards Ymir.

As they headed outside, Ymir wished she had brought an actual coat with her, even if she had only planned to be in outside for less than a minute. She held back a shiver as she approached a sleek black car and opened the door for Krista. The blonde widened her eyes in surprise.

"A driver? You hired a chauffeur?"

"Just for tonight. I figured it would be better than taking a cab," Ymir shrugged.

"We haven't even gotten to our destination and I already know that this is really extreme for a seventeenth birthday," Krista said as she got into the car. Ymir followed after her.

The driver had already been told where to go, so Ymir didn't even have to give anything away. Krista seemed a bit put off by this fact, but reached out for Ymir's hand anyway and leaned her head against her shoulder.

They finally arrived at their destination, and Ymir watched as Krista took in where they were at.

"You are taking me to DANIEL? Holy shit, Ymir, this place is really expensive!" She exclaimed.

The driver got out of the car and came around the car to open the door and Ymir stepped out before helping Krista out of the car.

"Thank you, Ted," Ymir said, remembering his name.

"You girl's enjoy your evening," he responded with a smile, "I'll be back at nine to pick you up."

They both nodded and entered the luxurious restaurant. When they reached the podium, a chipper looking middle-aged woman, whose name badge read "Maggie", looked up at them.

"Good evening, ladies! You have a reservation?"

"Yes, it's under Lenz."

"Ah! Okay, yes I see. It also says here that your entire meal is to be paid for. Is that correct?" the woman asked.

When Ymir nodded, Maggie gestured for their jackets. Once they were hung up, she told them to follow her as she led them to their table. 

"Here are the menus the wine list and your server will be right with you to get your beverages. Enjoy your time here, ladies!"

With that, Maggie was off, leaving Krista and Ymir at their table.

"I've got to say, this is really extravagant," Krista told her, "And not at all your style."

"It was the Captain's and Eren's Christmas present to us as well as your birthday present," Ymir said, "My damn boss seems to like spending money, although, it's making you happy enough, so I can't complain."

"Your way with words always sweeps me off my feet," she teased.

"I live to please, Princess," Ymir smirked and Krista giggled.

"Still," the blonde said, "I have to thank them later. When my mom dragged me to go dress shopping, I wasn't exactly sure what it was for, but she seemed pretty excited."

"I think that dress looks incredibly sexy on you, to be honest."

The small girl blushed and seemed at a loss what to say. At that moment, a tall man with glasses approached the table.

"Good evening! My name is Andrew and I'll be your server," he said warmly, "I'm assuming you guys are on a date. What's the occasion?"

"It's her birthday," Ymir said and he seemed a little too overjoyed at the information.

"Well, happy birthday!" he said to Krista and she smiled and gave her thanks to him.

He then took their drink orders. Ymir ordered the most expensive wine on the list, figuring as long as she wasn't paying, why not take advantage of the best quality wine. Krista only ordered water since she was entirely too young to drink and even if she had tried, she looked younger than she was.

Their drinks came soon enough and Andrew asked about appetizers. Ymir had never been to such an expensive place and panicked slightly, not knowing exactly what to order and what was good or not until Krista saved her by ordering Sunchoke Ravioli with Sautéed Black Trumpet for Ymir and Green Lentil Velouté with Mustard Cream for herself. Andrew was gracious enough not to mention that Ymir clearly had no idea what she was doing and chatted lightheartedly with them for a few moments before leaving the table.

When their appetizers arrived, Ymir had already figured out what she wanted for the main course so as to not appear stupid twice in a row. She didn't know how Krista could be so graceful in almost any situation, but she loved her for it. The main courses ordered and Andrew gone, Ymir looked down at her appetizer and nearly pulled a face. she must not have hidden her horror well because Krista giggled and and urged her to at least try it. Ymir had to admit it was as horrible as it looked; it was actually pretty good.

Ymir let Krista chat happily away at her progress at ballet school and her upcoming auditions. Ymir could tell that Krista had been working relentlessly at it, and told her as much. In honesty, she didn't know how the small girl managed to juggle her demanding classes as well as school without looking like a wreck. She supposed it helped that she was home schooled, but the freckled girl knew that Krista did more practicing after classes and her private lessons.

After their main course was served, which was absolutely delicious in Ymir's opinion, Krista began to talk about traveling.

"I backpacked across Europe for a year," Ymir told her, not really wanting to tell her that she was the reason for it.

"Really? I've always wanted to travel. Someday, I just want to buy a van and take a trip across the country."

"I thought you and your mom had money to spare," Ymir said, "Why didn't you ever just do that?"

Krista shook her head. "I've had ballet. Maybe someday, once I make it in the business, I can take a break and travel like that. But I have my goal to reach and I don't want to give up on that."

Ymir took a bite of her meal and chewed thoughtfully for a moment before swallowing and answering, "Well, when you do go, take me along with you."

Krista nodded happily and returned to her meal but Ymir stopped and reached for her bag to pull out two small, velvet boxes, one black and one red. Krista noticed and looked at them curiously before Ymir started to speak.

"I-well, I got you something for your birthday," she said nervously.

"I thought spending the evening with you was my birthday present," Krista said earnestly and Ymir was silently proud that she could be considered a present but shook her head.

"Nah, I think you might like this better," she told her, handing Krista the black one, "It's not much, but happy birthday anyway."

Krista opened it and saw a simple golden band attached to a leather cord. Her eyes widened as she plucked it from the box and saw the name engraved on the outside.

"Historia," Krista whispered. She used one of her hands to cover her mouth.

"I have one too," Ymir said, pulling hers of the red box, "It has my name on it so now we match. I didn't want to get anything too fancy just in case you wanted to wear it with normal clothes."

Krista looked up at Ymir with watery eyes and Ymir started.

"Babe, don't cry, please," Ymir said. She wasn't sure if she had upset Krista over the use of her old name or if she was just that happy.

It turned out to be the latter as Krista let out a chuckle.

"I'm just...really happy," she told Ymir before holding her hand out, "May I see yours?"

Ymir obliged and gave her the necklace with her ring attached to it. Before she could protest, Krista put on the necklace with the ring labeled "Ymir" and held the "Historia" one towards her.

"We can wear each other's rings, that way we are always close to each other, okay?"

Ymir was stunned and it took her a couple seconds to actually take the cord and put it around her neck, its new permanent home.

"This is the best birthday present ever given to me. Thank you, Ymir," Krista said, looking directly into her eyes and reaching across the table to grab the taller girl's hand. Ymir was pretty sure she was blushing but gave the hand a squeeze before they both returned to their meals.

They both talked about other matters as they ate, but Ymir noticed that Krista's hand would occasionally wander to the ring and would rub at it. She was truly content in that moment.

Once their meals were completed, the reason for Andrew's joy at Krista's birthday became obvious when a bunch of staff members came over to the table and wished her a happy birthday along with dessert, which Krista and Ymir both shared.

As nine o'clock quickly approached, Ymir suddenly felt a foot on her calf. Startled, she looked up and saw Krista looking at her with a very alluring look on her face.

"You know, Ymir," Krista said in a low voice, "I've never actually seen your new place."

Ymir felt her throat seize up and couldn't form a response until common sense kicked in and she said, "Maybe I can show you it sometime. It's a lot less cramped than my old place used to be, thanks to the pay that the Captain is giving me."

"Or," the blonde drew the word out, "I can just stay over tonight."

As much as Ymir wanted to say yes, she knew that her mother would probably not approve and not to mention, she had ballet classes tomorrow.

"I'm sure your mother would be thrilled," she said dryly.

"It's not the first time I've stayed over at someone's house," Krista returned.

"But not your over-age girlfriend's house. Plus, you have ballet and school tomorrow."

"I can skip a day of school and my ballet classes aren't until the afternoon."

"Still doesn't make me think that your mother would be okay with you coming to my house and spending the night, especially since she knows how we feel about each other," Ymir said.

"Please, Ymir? Don't you want me there?"

Ymir groaned, knowing that she was playing a dirty trick. She selfishly wanted Krista to come home with her that night. She knew she was in Marta's good graces now, but what would happen if the woman accused Ymir of sleeping with Krista? Not that she didn't want to, but the fear of never seeing Krista again was enough to make her willing to wait as long as she could hold out.

Ymir sighed and pulled her phone out of her purse and quickly found Marta's number.

_Is it alright if Krista's stays the night at my place?_

"What are you doing?" Krista asked, interested.

"Being uncharacteristically responsible," Ymir grumbled as the phone alerted her that a new text had arrived.

_I figured Krista would try to push for that. :3 Of course she can, but just know she is barely 17, Ymir. That is all. You two have a good night and don't do anything illegal! :)_

Although the smiley emoticon was attached at the end of the message, Ymir could sense the warning in the text and smiled in spite of herself.

_You know I wouldn't, Mrs. Lenz_. 

Well, she might.

At that, Ymir looked up at Krista.

"Your mom says its alright."

"You  _texted_  my mom?" Krista asked, aghast, "Wait, how do you even have her number?"

"How else do you think we planned your birthday present," Ymir said before taking up a teasing tone, "I text your mom all the time, though. We mostly talk about how adorable it is when you get angry."

Krista pursed her lips and Ymir only laughed, her point proven.

"Still, you get to come to my place, so be grateful that I didn't just say no."

"Like you can say no to me," Krista chuckled.

* * *

Krista had been impressed with Ymir's new space. She immediately scoped out the place as Ymir found and over sized shirt and some pajama pants that would fit the petite girl the best. Ymir let Krista know she was going to shower quickly and that there were more comfortable clothes on the bed for her. Krista gave her a wink and said she might not be wearing anything when Ymir returned and Ymir replied in turn that she might not be either. Despite their threats, however, Ymir came back with boxers and a tank top on while Krista was wearing the over sized shirt and the pants rolled up at the bottom so she didn't trip over them.

They both decided to make some popcorn and watch a movie which they honestly didn't remember as they spent most of it with their tongues down each other's throats and hands wandering. However, Ymir decided to put "Easy A" in after that and they both settled comfortably under a shared blanket, Krista nestled up against Ymir and Ymir's arm around her.

Krista brought her hand up to the ring once more and rubbed at it before sighing deeply.

"Thank you, Ymir."

It was barely a whisper but Ymir caught it anyway.

"Happy Birthday, Historia," Ymir said just as quietly.

Krista shifted once more and pressed her face into Ymir's neck and wrapping her arms around the older girl's waist.

"I love you," Krista murmured before her breathing evened out, falling asleep.

"I love you too."

And they fell asleep like that, holding each other until daylight.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Ymir's Dress](http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing%3F.out%3Djpg%26size%3Dl%26tid%3D46854553)
> 
>  
> 
> [Krista's Dress](http://cdnd.lystit.com/photos/2013/11/21/lauren-by-ralph-lauren-bardot-blue-petite-capsleeve-satin-sheath-product-1-15125099-028351296_large_flex.jpeg)
> 
> Happy birthday, Krista! At least in this story you can be with your girlfriend on your special day. :)


	36. Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I think it might be a good idea if you come with me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, it's my birthday, and I decided to update. :D Being the masochist that I am, I didn't write a very happy chapter for my birthday but it's kinda necessary for the chain of events that follow I guess. 
> 
> And I'm totally geeking out because [Alex](http://nokasa-ravioli.tumblr.com/) drew more art for this fic!!!!!!!!
> 
>  
> 
> [STEVE!!! LOOK AT STEVE HE'S PERFECT I LOVE IT OMG THAT HANSOME FUCKER](http://nokasa-ravioli.deviantart.com/art/STEVE-for-Kate-and-for-me-427669605)
> 
> [Krista from last chapter!! :D](http://nokasa-ravioli.deviantart.com/art/happy-birthday-krista-427668640)
> 
> [ Have some more Krista!](http://nokasa-ravioli.deviantart.com/art/Krista-sketch-427668316)
> 
>  
> 
> [AND OMG ALEX DREW ONE OF MY FAVORITE SCENES FOR MY BIRTHDAY](http://nokasa-ravioli.deviantart.com/art/Ereri-fem-levi-428176416)
> 
>  
> 
> Really go check all those out because I am really happy about all of them. :3
> 
> Song: [Demons](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqI78S14Wgg) by Imagine Dragons

River had to admit, so far, this year was going pretty well. She had gotten engaged, Eren had gotten a call from his brother announcing that Eren was now an uncle, and everyone from before were being brought together.

Tuesdays were always her favorite days. It was a day that was designated to be her day off, a silent agreement between her and Steve. Ymir was always off on Tuesdays and usually she would spend her time bothering Krista if she wasn't at dance class, but Krista was currently going across the country for different auditions and wouldn't be around until after February third, which left a mopey and irritated Ymir.

Eren had gone into work this morning and River had felt no need to change out of her pajamas as she lazily made herself lunch as she woke up late. Cook followed her to the kitchen and sat eagerly hoping to get some leftover scraps from the eggs she was making. She never usually fed the dog but she knew that Eren did secretly, much to her disapproval.

She had just taken the eggs from the skillet and put them on a plate when she heard the front door open and close.

"Eren?"

When she received no response, she put the plate down and made her way to the hallway and saw Eren hunched over and leaning against the table with the ugly ass lamp that had become a permanent fixture. Eren's shoulders were shaking and she couldn't see his face. Something was terribly and horribly wrong.

"Eren?" River said, panic creeping into her voice, "What happened?"

Instead of replying, he let out an angry yell and hit the ape lamp with as much force as he could muster. The lamp flew down the hallway towards River but she dodged the lamp and heard it clunk on the floor behind her. She didn't take her eyes off the man, who was now breathing loudly and angrily through his nose. River knew that in their previous life, people feared an angry Eren, mostly because they feared his titan power. But something that she always knew was that he always had a reason for his anger, even if he didn't know how to direct it.

In that life, she had figured out a way to help him cope with his anger until he was ready to talk.

She rolled her shoulders before putting up a fighting stance and charging at him. She really had never been the best at verbal communication.

She landed a solid punch to his gut before he reeled back and gave her a look of unfathomable anger.

"LEVI, WHAT THE HELL?"

This time when she swung her leg at him, he blocked it haphazardly with his arm.

"Don't tell me that just because we are in a different life you're skills are even worse than before," River said as she swung again and this time Eren caught her arm and tried to twist it behind her, but she managed to get out of his grasp before kicking his leg from under him.

He fell to one knee but quickly recovered, and took a swing at River's torso but missed. Just as she prepared to get another kick in, he deftly dodged her attack and actually manged to land a punch on her shoulder, causing her to stumble backwards, not prepared for the assault. He came forward with a desperate and wild yell and tried to grab her wrist in a move that was somewhat familiar to River. Before he could manage to pull her forward and kick her leg from underneath her that she recalled he learned from Annie, she twisted around, making it so he was facing away from her with his arm twisted behind his back. She gave a swift kick to the back of the knees once more and he fell soundly to the ground.

She let go and tried to step back but he caught her around the legs and she lost her balance and fell hard, landing with a thud and painfully hitting her head on the floor. Before she could process what had happened and curse herself for letting her guard down, Eren was straddling her fist raised with a wild look in his eye. River didn't flinch when he brought his fist down...which punched the floor just beside her head as she knew it would.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, breathing heavy, with River staring up into Eren's angry green eyes before his face started to change into one of remorse and despair. Before River could stop it, Eren was sobbing and staring down at her with such pain and agony that she couldn't stand it. His hands found her shoulders and he lowered his face into the crook of her neck with heaving cries. Not knowing what else to do or even how to comfort him, she wrapped her arms around him.

She didn't know how long they sat there like that. She saw that he had broken his skin when he had punched the floor and he was now bleeding. She wasn't sure if head broken any bones, but she was hoping that he would let her know if he had. When River's back started hurting but Eren showed no sign of stopping his sobs, she knew that they needed to move. Hesitantly, she sat up but Eren still clung to her like a child. She held back a sigh, knowing that it was going to be difficult standing up with a grown man attached to her torso. It might have looked a bit ridiculous, but at this point, she didn't care.

Slowly, she stood up and supported Eren's full weight and made her way to the bedroom. Once there, she leaned over and placed him on the bed. He didn't let go when she started to stand straight again.

"Eren, I need to get the first aid kit for your hand," she said quietly.

He clung tighter for a moment before letting go and she quickly went to the bathroom to retrieve the kit before returning. Eren was crying silently now, which was almost worse than before. She maneuvered her way to the top of the bed and placed Eren's head in her lap before she took his hand and started to treat it. He hissed when the alcohol hit the wound but made no other sounds besides the occasional dragging sob.

Once she had bandaged up his hand, she set the first aid kit aside and started running her hand through his hair to calm him. She didn't say anything and she didn't know what she would say if she could speak. Something had obviously happened but she couldn't tell what. If it had had something to do with his family, she knew that he would be on the first flight out of New York to see them. If he was reacting this way, River knew it must be something that he couldn't change or help.

His ragged breathing started to slow as he calmed himself into sleep. Dried tears clung to his face and she rubbed absently on them, wishing that he would tell her what was wrong.

Soon, Eren was asleep, leaving River to continue stroking his cheek.

Suddenly, her phone on the bedside table vibrated. She reached over for the phone and unlocked it to see that it was a text from Petra.

_I'm on my way up._

River carefully lifted Eren's head up slightly to slip out from underneath him before placing his head down on a pillow. She put a blanket over his sleeping form before silently exiting the room to reach the front door. Just as she opened it, Petra was stepping out of the elevator into the small entryway outside the door. The small woman glanced up at River worriedly before approaching.

"Did Eren come home?" Petra asked.

"Yeah," River answered, "You want to come in and explain what happened?"

Petra shook her head.

"I can't. I'm still supposed to be working but I came to see if he is alright."

River saw nothing but concern in her eyes when she answered, "He's not."

Petra rubbed tiredly at her eyes and said, "No, I suppose he wouldn't be."

"Petra, tell me what the fuck happened to make Eren come home like he did," River demanded a bit harshly.

Petra chewed on her lip before responding.

"I don't know the entire story...but Eren had a surgery today. I know it was neurosurgery and something happened. He messed up or something, I'm not sure but...he killed the patient."

River sucked in a breath when Petra said this. She saw that Petra was almost in tears herself.

"The family wants to sue for malpractice, but I'm sure Eren's malpractice insurance will take care of that," she continued, "If that is even what he cares about. It's costing the hospital quite a bit of money too. The chief of surgery told him to take some time off, which is good. I think he needs it."

River doubted it made Eren feel better but he had to agree with Petra. River wasn't sure that surgeons usually got time off after an accident like this but she was sure Petra had a hand in getting Eren some time off since she was the daughter-in-law of someone on the hospital board.

"Thank you, Petra," River said softly, "Are you sure you can't come in?"

Petra threw her arms around River before pulling away.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Take care of him, Captain, please."

River nodded and Petra bid her goodbyes before leaving to get back to work.

River closed the door and walked back into the kitchen to take care of the untouched eggs and put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher before she trekked back to the master bedroom.

She saw that Cook had his head on the bed and Eren was once more awake and stroking Cook's head as he stared off into space. River was struck with how much he looked... _fifteen_  again. There was no other way to explain it.

"He was younger than me," Eren's voice cracked, "Not by much, but he had a wife. And a one year old daughter."

River came over to the bed and placed a knee on it.

"Scoot over," she said softly and he complied after a moment.

She laid down on the bed and spread the blanket over both of them before patting on the bed, signaling that Cook could jump up if he wanted. The dog was now getting too big for the bed, but River allowed him to sleep at the foot of the bed every now and then. This time, she figured Eren needed all the contact he could get. She gently pulled him into her arms and he rested his head on her chest.

"That little girl is never going to see her father again because of me. She won't even remember what he looks like. It was such a simple procedure and I fucked it up..."

He trailed off, spent. It didn't seem like he had anymore tears to cry. He clung to River like a lifeline, not saying anything.

She combed her hand through his hair once more and leaned her head back against the headboard. She was never the greatest at comforting people, but this seemed enough for him at the moment.

Eren needed a change of pace and to not sit around the house during his time off, wallowing in guilt. She had two simple ideas that might get his mind off things. One she could do immediately but the other might have to wait for a bit.

"Eren. I'm going to Chicago for a book signing at the end of the week, as you know," River said, "I think it might be a good idea if you come with me."

She waited for his answer but he didn't respond. His breathing was slow and River hoped he hadn't fallen asleep before he heard her suggestion. He, however, had not.

"'Kay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there we go. I'm very sorry but next chapter will be a lot happier I promise. Something big happens in Chicago so I'm super excited. :D
> 
> Here's a crappy ass blueprint of [River and Eren's place](https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/v/t35/1618366_10201167765424249_1698492711_o.jpg?oh=d6106e646a245ec421e87c943ae7a95d&oe=52DFD9E7). I thought it was necessary. Red lines are doors or doorways. Whatever.


	37. Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "That wasn't nearly as satisfying as I thought it would be."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...this was supposed to be uploaded two days ago...I'm so sorry.
> 
> Song: [Pompeii](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F90Cw4l-8NY) by Bastille

"It's fucking colder here than in New York, shit," River grumbled. She pulled up her scarf over her nose and looked up at Eren who didn't look to comfortable with the cold weather either.

The book signing had gone as normally as any other book signings that she had been coerced into. She wouldn't admit that fans actually made her day but she liked being appreciated for something that didn't involve killing.

Eren's mood hadn't been much improved and it was a bit disheartening that his usually lively expression had been replaced with a tired and somewhat dazed one instead. He did show some endearing irritation when one of River's more exuberant fans tried to propose to her. He had not-so-subtly put his arm around her while Steve and Ymir had stifled their laughter as she told the random stranger as kindly as she could that she was already engaged.

Ymir had headed back to New York already while Steve had told them that he had some "business" that he had to attend to, leaving River and Eren to spend the rest of their weekend in Chicago together.

"How much you want to bet that Steve is with that bookstore owner trying to score?" River said. She had noticed her editor eying up the manager who had allowed River to sign at his bookstore. River couldn't be sure, but she was pretty sure the man had been checking Steve out as well.

"Mmm," was Eren's response.

River wasn't used to being the main one to carry on the conversation. It made her have a new respect for Eren whenever he chattered endlessly when she was feeling pissy or upset that eventually got her into better spirits. She wasn't sure how to comfort Eren for something like this. She had been hoping getting away would help him relieve some tension in his mind but she was beginning that he needed her Plan B. 

And she had already started putting her Plan B into action. All she needed to do was wait until they got back to New York.

A particularly cold gust of wind blew around the two of them, chilling River to the bone through her thick coat and she swore again.

"Fuck, Eren," she spat, noticing a coffee shop, "Let's go inside for a bit. I don't think I can handle much more of this shitty weather."

"Yeah, okay," Eren shrugged and River sighed, pulling him by the arm into the shop.

Warm air greeted them immediately and both of them sighed in relief.

"I'm never coming to Chicago again in the winter, I swear," River started to complain, "It's bad enough to live in New York where I freeze my tits off. We should definitely move somewhere warmer at some point in time."

She had already been moving towards the counter but when she turned to get a response from her fiance, he was still at the door, frozen still, staring off at a nearby table.

"Eren?" River asked, looking at his widened eyes before she followed his gaze. Shock ran through her as she recognized the blonde woman sitting with a blond man who had his back towards them, talking with her hands with a small smile on her face.

"Annie," River said needlessly. She was starting to get a feeling on who the man was and she looked up at Eren who had a complicated expression on his face.

At first, Annie didn't notice them staring but she must have felt their gaze. She looked up and before she seemed to know what she was doing, she stood abruptly, eyes wide. Her mouth opened and closed a few times. The man with her turned to follow where she was looking with a questioning look on his face.

Eren inhaled sharply at the sight of Armin's face and River swallowed, not exactly sure what to do.

Armin continued to look quizzically at the two of them before turning back to Annie and saying something to which she nodded to. She seemed to collect herself and put on a smile before doing something that shocked River to her core.

"Eren!" she said as she waved the both of them over.

River honestly thought he was going to stand there stupidly but his feet actually started carrying him to the table and after a pause, River followed after him.

She was a mess of emotions. The girl-woman now-who had caused countless deaths as well as the ones on her own squad was there in front of her. Before, there had been many things River had wanted to say to the blonde, do to her, make her suffer for what she had done. Anger was starting to bubble in her stomach and she couldn't control it. No matter how much she thought that people should be given second chances in this life, she couldn't quite control the bitterness as they approached the table.

Eren didn't say anything when they got to the table so Annie took a breath and spoke.

"It's been a while," she said with false politeness. Even through River's anger, she could see shame in the blonde's eyes, which pissed her off even more.

"Yeah," Eren said awkwardly before looking down at Armin, who was still sitting with a confused expression on his face.

"Ah, this is my husband, Armin," Annie introduced and Eren looked up at her as if wondering why she was bothering to introduce them, "He's brilliant, but a bit forgetful"

Translation: he didn't remember.

"What? No I'm not!" Armin spoke for the first time in a noticeable British accent and River thought briefly of Ymir, who harbored a certain resentment to them.

"Armin, you would have forgotten your wallet today if I hadn't reminded you," Annie responded lightly before saying, "This is Eren. An old...friend."

Armin stood and extended his hand towards Eren and smiled. Eren took it hesitantly.

"Nice to meet you," he said before his blue eyes slid over to River.

"You too," Eren said, smiling for what seemed like the first time in forever. He let go of Armin's hand and placed an arm around River before saying, "This is my fiancee, River."

River took Armin's extended hand, shaking it as well.

"Why don't you join us? Annie doesn't have many friends, I'd like to get to know the few she does," Armin teased.

Annie looked away awkwardly. "Thanks, Armin."

River looked up at Eren once more to see what his reply would be only to see him smile at Armin before giving Annie a wary look before turning to a vacant table and pulling up two chairs. He sat in one and gestured for River to sit in the other one, which she hesitantly did.

Annie didn't say anything leaving them in an awkward silence before Armin said, "So how did you meet Annie?"

Eren opened his mouth but he didn't look sure as how to answer.

"Camp," Annie said quickly, "We were old camp friends before we lost contact."

"Oh, here was thinking it was an old sob story where you two were exes or something," Armin said in a teasing tone.

"Ah, n-no," Eren assured quickly, "We weren't like that. I-I'm gay."

River literally face palmed while Armin stared at him and River, completely confused. Annie was trying to hide a small smile as she rolled her eyes.

Eren seemed to realize what he said and tried to correct himself, " _Was_. Was gay. No wait-I'm not-"

"Idiot," River breathed, rubbing her forehead.

"It's good to see you haven't changed at all, Eren," Annie said blandly and Eren flushed.

"Well, gay or not, it's still a pleasure to meet you."

It wasn't a great first impression on Eren's part in front of his former best friend who didn't even remember him, but after a server asked for their orders of coffee, they placed them and fell into polite chit-chat. It was obvious that both Eren and River were straining to appear cordial to Annie for Armin's sake alone and she seemed to only be able to take so much of it before she stood.

"I have to go to the restroom, I'll be right back," she said in an attempt to escape the situation for a few moments. River wasn't about to let her have that luxury.

"I'll come with you," River said, standing up as well.

"Do girls go everywhere together," Armin laughed and Eren shot River a look.

"Most girls," Annie said, with a not too pleased look on her face but it didn't deter River from coming with her. 

They walked together in silence before entering the small bathroom which only had two stalls. There was already a teenaged girl in there washing her hands.

"Leave!" River said sharply to her and both Annie and the girl flinched. The girl gave them both a fearful look before fleeing the restroom.

Once the door closed behind them, Annie turned towards River as if to say something.

_Smack!_

Annie's face was slapped to the side by River's hand. Annie looked back her with a shocked look.

"That wasn't nearly as satisfying as I thought it would be," River said.

"Look, I-"

_Smack!_

This time, Annie raised a hand to her now reddening cheek.

"That, was a bit more satisfying," the raven-haired woman mused.

"Captain..."

"Don't. Just...don't," River said before closing her eyes and pinching her nose.

"I've thought a lot about what I would say to you if I ever met you again," she started, "You killed my squad, hundreds of innocent civilians, and you betrayed the Scouting Legion."

Annie looked into her eyes evenly but she didn't look defiant. Just ashamed and resigned.

"I can't forget that and I'm pissed.; Hell, I think Eren is pissed as hell too. But," she paused and sighed, "I've always said that we all deserve a second chance in this life. And by your actions today by introducing Eren to Armin even if he didn't remember...shows me that...fuck. Whatever. All I mean to say is that...I will begin to forgive you."

Annie looked genuinely shocked at this.

"Why?"

River thought for a moment before answering, "Because you just asked that question."

Annie looked confused for a moment before looking down and smiling slightly.

"Thank you," she whispered, "Do you think Eren...?

"Fuck if I know," River said before turning her back to Annie and started to leave the bathroom, "You will have to ask him."

"Maybe..."

Annie followed River out of the bathroom and they stopped when they saw the sight that greeted them at the table.

Eren had his arm around Armin as the blonde was showing him something on the phone and they were laughing uproariously, causing several other customers to look at them strangely.

"Holy shit," Annie said.

"Leave them alone for two minutes and they are best friends again. Fuckers," River agreed.

* * *

"I can't believe it," Eren said.

They were currently taking advantage of the huge tub in the hotel room. Eren was sitting behind River, massaging shampoo in her hair while she relaxed against his chest.

"So you've said," River responded.

"No, I just-I can't believe that you actually agreed for the both of us to hang out with Armin and Annie tomorrow," Eren told her.

"Is that okay? I mean, Annie is going to be there. Are you sure you are okay with that?"

Eren's hands stopped moving in her hair as he thought for a moment.

"Are you?"

River barked out a laugh.

"After slapping her twice, I think I will be okay, even though I was severely tempted to punch her a few times."

"I noticed the red mark on her face," Eren said, "I'm sure Armin noticed too."

"Look how much I care," River said dryly, "Don't tell me she didn't deserve it. Plus, I said I would start forgiving her after I slapped her."

"Really? You are going to forgive her? Just like that?"

"I said  _start_  forgiving her. I'm still pissed as hell. Plus, the only reason I agreed to it is because I know you want to hang out with Armin some more."

Eren hummed and started to massage her head once more.

"I wished he remembered me."

"I know," River sighed. She knew it was painful for his oldest friend not to remember.

"Why do you think he doesn't?"

"I don't know. He should join the 'Brilliant Blonds Who Don't Remember Important Shit' Club," River said, waving her hand lazily.

Eren's fingers stopped in her hair once more. 

"I'm sorry. I forgot that Erwin didn't remember. That must be hard for you."

River sighed once more before saying, "It is. It fucking sucks. But, I figure it might be for the best sometimes. He doesn't remember the shit he had to go through. Plus, he is alive and happy. That's what I care about."

Eren was silent for a moment before putting his arms around River and nuzzling his face into her shoulder.

"You're right. Thank you."

He started to kiss her neck as his hands wandered downwards.

"Stop!" River commanded, "I have nothing against bathtub sex, but I would rather not get shampoo in my eyes while climaxing, thank you."

Eren laughed before grabbing the spray nozzle.

"I love you, you know that?"

"Yeah, I am pretty great, aren't I?" River said smugly.

Eren only responded by spraying her in the face with water.

* * *

The afternoon had been going rather well. Armin and Eren got along as well as they did previously, talking animatedly to each other while River and Annie followed them like mothers trying to keep track of their toddlers.

At one point, they passed a pet store in the mall and the former best friends stopped at the window, looking at the dogs in the window. At the same time, they both turned to their respective partners with huge pleading eyes.

"No."

"We already have Cook."

"But look at this one," Armin said, pointing to a Terrier that was pawing at the window.

"He's so cute," Eren agreed.

"Actual five-year-olds, Armin and Eren," Annie deadpanned.

At some point, River said she would get them ice cream for them all. Surprisingly, Armin said he would come with her, leaving Annie and Eren at a vacant table in the food court alone.

As soon as they rounded the corner, Armin caught her arm before she continued walking.

"Armin, what...?"

"I just figured they needed some time alone. We should probably take our time."

River gave him a puzzled look and Armin smiled gently.

"Look, I'm not stupid. I can sense there is some bad history between the three of you, even if she only claims to know Eren. I'm assuming that you two took care of your issues yesterday when you slapped my wife, which by the way, she didn't tell me about, but I  _don't_  appreciate," Armin told her as a serious look came across his face, "Annie doesn't tell me a lot, but I notice things. I don't always need her to to tell me things because I trust her, but I know that she had done some things she isn't proud of. Thing is...she grew up in suburbia with a loving family and no criminal record...and she never went to camp."

River sucked in a breath. She had forgotten how smart Armin was. He could see minute details and connect the dots with an ease that was almost unsettling. She remembered now why he reminded her of a mixture of Hanji's brains and Erwin's cunning mind.

"You know, it was almost the same when Annie met my friend, Micah," Armin said offhandedly, "She had never met him, since he lives in London, but they acted the same as you and Annie. Strange, don't you think?"

River cleared her throat running the possibilities of  _Micah_  in her mind.

"Yeah...strange."

Armin gave her a long searching look before smiling again.

"Well, I suppose we should get the ice cream," he said before walking again, River trailing after him.

* * *

They left the next day, but not before they had exchanged numbers with their "new" friends.

"And here is our address if you guys ever come to New York," Eren had said to them before shaking hands with Armin and Annie.

River supposed that she should be put off by his willingness to give them their address, but she supposed that it might be for the best.

"So," River said as they got settled into their seats on the plane, "Did you work things out with Annie?"

Eren leaned his head back against the head rest, looking at the ceiling before sliding his eyes over to her.

"Yeah, I suppose a little. I might have called her a few names and then apologized, but I think we are okay now."

Eren smiled and River returned with a small smile of her own.

In all, she had to be glad that his mood had definitely been improved after the accident at the hospital. That, she could be grateful for.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on vacation for the week so I probably will only come up with a short chapter in a couple of days that will tie up some loose ends in this chapter.
> 
> I want to thank you all for the comments and continued support. I seriously have the best readers in the world. You guys are the greatest!


	38. Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Except now, you can be my brother too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Hey Brother](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxIiPLVR6NA) by Avicii

“Why can't I get a hold of her?!” Eren yelled out in frustration from the living room.

River sat at the counter in the kitchen, typing away on her laptop, getting a website set up to sell Wings of Freedom merchandise.

They had been home since Monday. Early morning on Tuesday, Eren had gotten a call from Annie, who told him something that River had already suspected.

Armin's good friend from childhood was actually Mikasa. After getting her phone number, Eren had been texting and calling her-or rather-him nonstop.

“It might be because he lives in completely different time zone and doesn't answer the phone for random numbers,” River responded, “Or maybe Annie accidentally gave you the wrong number.”

“I've already checked twice with Annie to see if the number is right and she said she gave my number to her...him,” Eren told her as he came into the kitchen.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her head into his chest as he rested his chin on her head. She didn't turn away from her work and continued typing.

“River,” Eren whined.

“I don't know what you expect me to do, Eren,” she replied.

“You could pretend to care a little,” he mumbled and she sighed, stopping her work and twisting her head to look up at him.

“I _do_ care, Eren. I care a lot. She was an important part of your life as well as mine. I get she was your sister and trust me, I'm just as nervous and excited as you are. But until he calls you back, there is nothing we can do, unless you want to immediately book a flight to London without knowing where to find him.”

Eren sighed but nodded.

River had noticed that he was still restless with all his time off. He had gone back to the hospital several times trying to get back to work, but he had only returned more pissed off and upset each time.

He hadn't talked to her much about the hospital, but she knew he still felt immensely guilty about it.

“I killed before...back then,” Eren had said to her a couple nights ago, “But fuckers that do that kind of thing deserve to die. They are nothing more than animals. But I'm a surgeon. I'm supposed to save innocent lives and I ended his.”

River closed her laptop and stood, forcing Eren to unwind his arms from her.

“Why don't we cook or something,” River said to him.

Eren looked at her strangely.

“We never cook.”

“Exactly,” River said, “We have a huge-ass kitchen and a bunch of ingredients that we never use. Why not?”

“Never took you for the cooking type,” Eren said.

“Never took you for the bitching type,” River retorted, “Wait, actually, nevermind.”

Eren rolled his eyes. “Fine. What are we making?”

River realized that she didn't really know how to cook and had no clue how to start.

“...Spaghetti? With salad?”

“Do we even have lettuce?”

River thought for a moment before going over to the fridge and opening it to search. After thoroughly scouring it, she closed it and shook her head. Eren was looking in the cabinets, looking for something.

“We don't even have pasta sauce, River,” Eren told her, “Who doesn't have pasta sauce?”

“I don't fucking know, Eren, I don't usually cook,” she snapped, “If I have homemade meals its either because of Marta or Ymir.”

“Ymir knows how to cook?” Eren asked, surprised.

“Apparently,” she grumbled.

There was a moment of silence between the two of them before Eren suggested, “Maybe we should just order take-out.”

“No! We are going to cook! Do we have Alfredo sauce?”

Eren looked and found a jar.

“Alright...I'm pretty sure Ymir bought us raw chicken today for something she wanted to make for Krista tomorrow but I'll tell her to get more before she comes and I'll pay her back,” she said, bringing the chicken to the counter before getting a cutting board and frying pan.

“What are we making?” Eren asked, coming to the counter with the Alfredo sauce.

“Chicken Alfredo. It's one of the few things that I can actually make without fucking it up,” River replied, “Get some linguine from the pantry and start boiling some water. Let's do this shit.”

Eren and River fell into a comfortable pattern of chopping up some chicken and making sure the water was boiling. River had decided to season the chicken a bit and directed Eren of what to do next. The meal wouldn't take long to make, but it was much more enjoyable when they did it together.

Suddenly, someone pounded on the door.

“I'll get it, since your hands are covered in chicken juice,” Eren said, disappearing into the hallway.

She had just washed her hands and dried them to turn on the stove when she heard the front door open.

“Hello-OOF!”

River heard a huge crash and she rushed to the hallway.

“Eren, what the f-”

River was greeted with the sight of Eren on the floor with a raven-haired man with his arms around him, face buried into Eren's neck. Eren was laying with his hands on his sides, seemingly shocked at the man who had barged into their home. The door was open, showing a suitcase and a briefcase.

At first, River thought her fiance was being attacked and prepared to rip the man off of him until she heard the man speak.

“Eren!”

Immediately, River knew exactly who it was, and apparently, so did Eren.

“Mikasa?” he said questioningly before he wrapped his arms around the man.

“It's Micah now,” came the muffled response and Eren could only laugh.

River was stunned. Eren's previous sister had actually shown up on their doorstep. However, she didn't know why she was surprised. Going to the ends of the earth for Eren was just the sort of thing that Mikasa would do.

“Mikasa-I mean, Micah-as much as I'm glad to see you, this is _really_ uncomfortable,” Eren said and the dark-haired man begrudgingly released him and stood before helping Eren to stand.

They stared at each other for a moment before hugging once more.

“I'm not your sister anymore,” he said to Eren.

“Sure you are,” Eren responds, “Except now, you can be my brother too.”

“Armin doesn't remember.”

“Yeah, but he's alive right?”

The continued hugging for a moment before River said, “I hate to interrupt this little love fest, but do you have a place to stay, Micah?”

They pulled apart and Micah shook his head.

“I got on the first plane I could but didn't bother to book a hotel. I suppose I should do that-”

“Shut up. You'll stay here,” River interrupted, “Eren can help you with your bags. We are having Chicken Alfredo for dinner. And Mikasa?”

He looked at her warily. “Yes?”

River smiled gently. “It's good to see you again.”

With that, River went back into the kitchen to finish the cooking. And she was happy, because Eren was getting his smile back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! The siblings are reunited! :D


	39. Arguing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You two better figure out if you want to hate each other or fuck each other."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Gives You Hell](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UWgRwVRbxc) by All American Rejects

River expected Eren to leave early to try and get to the hospital in his efforts to resume his job.

River expected him to leave the body wash bottle open even though she kept telling him the damn thing.

River expected Ymir to be swearing in her kitchen about how she had to buy more chicken.

River  _didn't_ expect shouting to be coming from the living room.

"What the fuck is going on?" River asked Ymir.

"I'm trying to cook a casserole before Krista and her mom gets back. It would have been much easier if the chicken had already been in the fridge where I left it, but what do I know," Ymir answered in an irritated tone.

"Cook in your own damn kitchen," River huffed, "But that's not what I meant. Why is there a domestic dispute going on in my living room?"

"That's just Micah and Megan," Ymir told her, "They started arguing about politics, then it moved onto whether cats or dogs are better, then something about post-it notes. I stopped listening after that."

River stared at her.

"Wait, Micah-as in, the former  _Mikasa_ -is arguing over something besides Eren?"

Ymir shrugs. "Yeah, it surprised me too. Megan is usually really laid back which is why Krista likes her so much and Micah doesn't really ever get worked up over things, but they've been going at it since we got here."

River shook her head, and heard snippets of the heated conversation.

"...not  _my_ fault you are socially inept!"

"You are only saying that because you know I'm right, you-"

"By the way," Ymir said, "I took Cook out already because I know you wanted to get to the airport a bit early today."

River hummed her thanks.

"Did you tell Eren?"

"No, I wanted it to be a surprise," she responded, "I think he will be happy. He hasn't seen him in over a year. It will be good for him."

"Probably."

Ymir didn't really appear to be listening in the first place, intent on her cooking.

"You know, I pay you to work for me, not use my fucking kitchen whenever you please," River snapped.

"Yeah, yeah, just go to the damn airport, Captain," Ymir waved her off.

River didn't bother saying anything more and left the kitchen. She stopped at the doorway of the living room to see the cause of all the noise. Even though Megan was the tallest woman in the house, she still had her height beat by Micah. The man was towering over her with a calm look on his face but an angry glint in his eyes. Megan, however, was red in the face shouting obscenities at the man.

Cook stood watching the two, whining ever so often at the commotion.

"You didn't need to get so angry," Micah spit out.

"You fucking asshole! You can't say insensitive shit like that and not expect to be called out on it!" Megan yelled, holding her ground.

"It was only a suggestion. A suggestion you should probably listen to," Micah said.

"Suggestion, my ass! If you-"

"Oi!" River interrupted, "What the fuck are arguing about now?"

"Your  _friend_ decided to tell me that my hair looks horrible, the bastard," Megan said angrily. _  
_

"I did not! I only said that it would probably look better pulled up and away from your face, that's all!" Micah defended harshly, "If you would get over yourself-"

"Oh,  _I'm_ the one that needs to get over myself? Have you taken a look at yourself lately!?"

"Not-"

"Holy shit, shut up!" River shouted and they both stilled, "You two better figure out if you want to hate each other or fuck each other because by the time I come back, I want my home completely silent! Understood?"

Megan and Micah looked in opposite directions and while they didn't look ashamed, they were blushing somewhat. Ymir's laughter could be heard from the kitchen which only served to piss River off more.

"Fine," Micah said.

"Whatever," Megan affirmed.

River sighed. "Good. There is some people I'm bringing that I want you to meet, Micah. If Eren comes home, don't tell him anything. Just say I went to get some coffee."

"Uh...alright?" came his reply.

River didn't bother replying and she left the doorway and went to put her shoes on to leave, but she didn't even get out the door before she heard them once again.

"This is all your fault!"

"My fault?" hissed a certain British man, "You are the one taking everything out of context."

River clenched her jaw and swore that if the two of them were still arguing when she got back, she would make sure they were never heard from again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...who is River going to the airport to get? Any guesses????
> 
> And I love mother hen River, and while Micah/Mikasa was acting OOC but its all within my plan. 
> 
> Whatever, they are all fucking idiots. I love them.
> 
> I'm also working on another fic right now that will be up either this Friday or next Friday, so stay tuned. :)


	40. Children

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What he didn't expect when he opened the door to his house, was the sound of a screaming baby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Happy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv-sUYtM) by Pharell Williams. 
> 
> This song makes me...well, happy. :D
> 
> And also, you guys are way to smart. You totally saw this chapter coming.

Eren was in a bad mood.

He had gone to the hospital for what seemed the hundredth time, ready to work, only to be sent home once again. 

 _You can return to work in three days_ , he was told.

"Fucking bullshit," he swore out loud and the woman next to him on the subway shifted uncomfortably. He didn't even glance over to apologize.

He knew that the main reason was Petra. She had connections through Auruo and she knew she was using them to keep him off the job. However, when he confronted her about it, she only shrugged.

"You need some time off, Eren. It's good for you."

"Do you think other doctors get time off  when something happens to their patient?" Eren challenged, "No, they don't. They come back the next day and do their jobs because that's what surgeons do!"

Petra had only sighed. "Just enjoy your mini-vacation, Eren. You will be back before you know it."

Now, sitting in the subway, Eren couldn't help but be angry, even though he knew Petra was doing what she thought was right. He hated that he was being favored and it wasn't going to look good with the other interns  _or_ the residents and attendings.

Eren leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees as he buried his face in his hands. He heard the woman get up and move and he couldn't care less.

His phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out, seeing he had a text from River.

_are they letting you work today?_

Eren couldn't help the small smile that graced his face as he read his text and it didn't disappear even though his response wasn't enthusiastic.

_nah. the asshole told me to come back in three days._

He didn't have to wait long for her reply.

_everybody is going to start thinking that you are sucking dick to get such special treatment. it wouldn't be the first time_

His fiancee, ever so eloquent. In other other context, that sentence would seem odd but he couldn't help the barking laugh that came from him. The woman had started glaring daggers at Eren, but he couldn't care less.

_its not my fault. petra is the one who is pulling the strings here. and there is nobody's dick i would suck unless it was yours <3_

Eren was sure that people didn't normally tell their girlfriends that they would suck their dick. Then again, there were some girls with penises out there, he remembered, as he had once had a trans patient named Jenny.

_cute. anyways, this three more days thing might work out anyway because we are having more company over for the next two weeks._

This was news to Eren. 

_who?_

Eren knew that Krista was returning from her sort of "audition spree", but Eren didn't really see why she would stay with them when she lived a floor beneath them.

_you'll see when you get your ass home_

River didn't usually keep secrets from Eren and the fact that she wouldn't tell him made him suspicious.

The train arrived at his stop and his entire way home, he wracked his brain for who could possibly be their company.

What he didn't expect when he opened the door to his house, was the sound of a screaming baby.

Confused and somewhat terrified by the possibility that his fiancee had kidnapped a baby, he called out over the noise.

"River?"

She flew out from the living room with wild eyes. Her hair was now long enough to put back in a small ponytail, but now it was halfway out.

"Make it stop," she hissed before he saw the next person exit the living room.

"Gil?" Eren said incredulously.

Sure enough, his brother was there, in his home. Gilbert had always resembled his father just as Eren had more resembled his mother, but they had the same green eyes and similar personalities which always got them into trouble as kids.

The only difference now was that he looked like he hadn't slept in days, and if Eren's guess was correct, the kid screaming his head off was the reason.

"Eren! Took you long enough!" Gil said loudly to be heard as he crossed over to Eren and pulled him into a hug.

Eren laughed and hugged him back. Eren looked over at River who was massaging her temples but gave him a brief smile. She had brought his brother here for him and he couldn't help falling for her a little bit more.

"You're an asshole for not visiting once in the past year," his brother said, pulling away.

"I have work!" Eren defended.

"Yeah, yeah. You sound like dad," Gil rolled his eyes.

That stung a little more than it should have but Eren only pursed his lips and diverted his attention to the crying baby.

"Is that my nephew?" he asked excitedly, approaching the living room.

"Yeah, he won't stop screaming," River said behind him.

Gil's wife, Tara, was a tall Indian woman who had long hair to her lower back. She always considered it her pride and joy, until she had her son, of course.

Micah was sitting in a chair looking somewhat uncomfortable, but his face lit up when he saw Eren. Eren gave him a smile before focusing his attention on the woman.

"Hey, Tara!"

The woman looked at him and smiled tiredly. Eren noticed that she looked like most new mothers do: frazzled and tired.

"Hey, Eren," she greeted, "Sorry about Liam. He hasn't stopped screaming since the airport and I can't get him to stop."

"That's because he hasn't met me yet," Eren said, approaching her and holding out his arms, "May I hold him?"

She nodded and stood before carefully placing the screaming child in his arms.

"I've tried feeding him, burping him, changing him, but nothing is working," she said desperately, "I wish my mother or your mother was here."

Eren started swaying slightly and started cooing at the baby.

"Wow, there's something you don't see everyday," River's voice said.

"Shut the hell up, I'm trying to comfort him," Eren told her.

"You are doing a better job than River and Micah," Gilbert laughed, "They suggested candy."

Eren blinked over at them.

"He's not even a month old!"

"It seemed like a good idea," Micah mumbled and Eren shook his head.

He started making a popping sound with his mouth as he swayed back and forth with the small newborn and not even half a minute later, the cries started to subside. Eren saw with satisfaction that now that the baby wasn't crying, he could see that he had inherited the family gene of green eyes, even this young.

He looked up and saw that everyone was looking at him in astonishment, save for Gilbert, who looked smug.

"What?"

Micah looked absolutely stricken, but shook his head. 

"How...did you do that?"

"Do what? Make him quiet?"

"Yeah, numbnuts," River said, and Eren must have imagined the look of awe on her face, "That's some "Miracle Worker" shit."

"That's my brother!" Gilbert said, clapping Eren on the back, "He's always been great with kids. In our old neighborhood, all the mother's would fight over who got to ring up Eren as their babysitter."

Eren blushed a little as he remembered the times when people would try to pay more money than another person for him to come over and watch their kids when he had just come up with the plan to watch multiple children at once.

"He should have just done what he wanted, but instead he did what Dad wanted and went into surgery," Gil said nonchalantly and Eren shot him a withering glare.

"Gil," Eren warned. Everyone stilled at the obvious tension in the room.

It was an unspoken disagreement between the two of them when it came to their father, which was the only thing the two brothers ever disagreed on.

"What did you want to do?" River asked, now curious.

"Surgery," Eren snapped, "I wanted to be a surgeon so I chose that."

"If I do recall, Dad threw a fit and wouldn't talk to you for two months and  _then_  you chose surgery," Gil challenged with a hard look in his eye.

Eren was about to throw his own scathing remark when another voice sounded.

"Gilbert, that's enough!" Tara said strongly, "It's not your business."

The moment was tense before Gilbert looked down, abashed.

"Yeah, you're right," he admitted before looking up at Eren and smiling brightly once more, "Sorry. I won't bring it up again."

Eren shrugged and nodded, glad that the moment was passing. Gil then went over to talk with Micah and Tara while Eren continued to hold his nephew, who was slowly falling asleep.

He looked over at River, who was approaching him. She looked at him with raised eyebrows but she didn't say anything about the conversation.

After a moment, she stared hard at the baby, then back up to him before looking at Liam once more. Her brows were furrowed and he could tell that she was thinking about something.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just...you are really good with him," she mumbled, "When I held him, he only screamed harder."

He smiled down at her.

"You want to try holding him now?"

She looked at him with wide-eyed fear.

"C'mon, you've faced worse than a newborn baby," Eren teased, "I'm going to give him to you. Hold your arms like I am."

She hesitantly did as he instructed and he carefully placed the small child into her arms. She held him somewhat awkwardly, but the baby had now fallen fast asleep, much to her apparent relief.

Looking at her with the newborn in her arms and seeing her gaze down at him, Eren thought that she had never looked more beautiful.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eren holding a baby. (◡‿◡✿)
> 
> Eren being paternal. (✿◠‿◠)
> 
> Eren being really good with kids. (◕‿◕✿)
> 
> This was supposed to be out yesterday, but whatever.
> 
> Next update for this will be on Mikasa's birthday!


	41. Ice Skating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Fuck that. We aren't in some damn Hallmark movie,"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MIKASA! :D
> 
> This chapter is dedicated to [Alex](http://nokasa-ravioli.tumblr.com/), who had a particularly terrible day (I hope this helps!) and to [nightcrawler554](http://archiveofourown.org/users/nightcrawler554/pseuds/nightcrawler554) who wrote a really steamy fem!Levi/Eren [fic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1164959) for me and a lot of other fantastic authors (seriously, go check it out).
> 
> Song: [Best Day of My Life](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y66j_BUCBMY&feature=kp) by American Authors

Ice skating sounded like a terrible idea to River but once Micah had mentioned that he had actually never done it, Eren was insistent that they had to go for his former sister's birthday. Gilbert and Tara had wanted to come along, so Krista had volunteered to watch Liam, which, of course, included Ymir as well. Tara had been worrying about her son ever since they had left the condo all the while, Gilbert had been telling her that the baby would be fine and  _no,_ it was not possible for two people to lose a one month old baby when none of them were even leaving the house.

"You would think that she expects Krista and Ymir to make a pie out of him," River muttered and Eren elbowed her but not before she noticed him hiding a smile.

However, once they reached the outdoor skating rink, Tara loosened up considerably and got just as excited as Gilbert and Eren.

"Aw man, I haven't done this in forever!" Gilbert exclaimed, "I bet I can still beat you in a race 'Ren."

"Bullshit! You always pushed me!" Eren defended himself.

"You are just a sore loser," his brother returned.

"Say what you both want, but I bet I could smoke both of your asses," Tara grinned and before River knew it, the three of them were off, leaving Micah and River balancing on their skates.

They stood there awkwardly for a moment before River caught Micah's arm as she started to feel herself slipping.

"Don't drag me down with you!"

"Thanks, Micah," she bit out as she concentrated on balancing.

"You have no idea what you are doing either, do you?" Micah stated with slightly upturned lips.

"I would advise you to shut your mouth now or I will drag you down with me," River threatened.

She honestly felt idiotic, almost like a newborn calf trying to walk for the first time. Clutching Micah's sleeve, she tries to move forward but almost falls on her ass.

Before Micah could open his mouth to say a sarcastic remark, Eren skated up to them.

"Back so soon?" River said as casually as she could.

"Yeah," he replied sheepishly, "We got in trouble for racing but I would have won anyway."

"It looked like Tara was winning," Micah deadpanned and Eren blushed.

"Whatever. C'mon, Micah. I'm going to teach you how to skate."

And with that, River's only support was gone. She quickly managed to get herself balanced and upright before falling over. She cursed this idea and wished that she had just stayed home. It was then that Tara skated up to her and grabbed her hands.

"Tara, I-"

"Shush. I won't let you fall. You can't be a boring grump the whole time," the other woman laughed, pulling River along, "It's not hard once you get used to it."

And it somewhat wasn't. River pondered how she could have been such a natural at 3D maneuver gear but something like ice skating seemed much harder. She saw now that Micah was becoming more adept at it and wasn't even holding onto Eren anymore.

"Hey, Tara," River said, getting the woman's attention.

"Yeah?"

"Do you...have any idea what kind of things Eren would want for Valentine's Day? I know I should probably just ask him but he hasn't said anything about it..." River asked awkwardly.

Tara sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Valentine's Day is lost on the Jaeger boys. Don't even bother."

River furrowed her eyebrows and asked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, V-day is what they call their 'anti-holiday'. Really stupid if you ask me," Tara huffed, "Every Valentine's day, all they do is sit around and watch action movies and get wasted."

"Every V-day since I was sixteen," Gil's voice came from beside them, "It's a beautiful tradition."

Gil was skating backwards beside them smiling widely.

"Romance is lost on you guys," Tara grumbled, "I'm sure River would rather do something special for their first Valentine's Day."

River actually felt relief wash through her.

"No, actually getting plastered sounds like the perfect plan to me," she said sincerely.

Gil gestured toward River and looked at his wife, his face clearly saying 'See?'.

"Not you too," Tara groaned at her before turning her head to face Eren, "Hey, Eren! Come help your fiancee skate, who is perfect for you, by the way!"

"Be right there!" he called over, and after making sure that Micah would be fine without him, he made his way over to River.

River felt her hands released by Tara only to have Eren's strong hands take their place. Tara gave them a wink before her and Gilbert skated off, hand in hand.

"I thought you could skate," Eren said, pulling her along.

"When did I ever say that?"

"I guess you didn't," he admitted, "It just seemed like something you would be able to do."

"Hey, Eren?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut the fuck up."

Eren threw his head back and laughed. "Sorry, sorry."

River huffed and he sobered himself.

"It's somewhat the same as the 3D maneuver gear. You have to put your body weight into it and getting the right angle is key," he explained, "You can't just shuffle on the ice either. Pick up one foot...yeah, like that, and use the weight that you have on the foot that's still on the ice to propel you forward."

Eren explained some more before River was actually starting to catch on.

"Okay, great," Eren said finally, "I'm going to let go of your hands now."

"Wait! Eren!"

But before she could protest, he had released her and was skating backwards in front of her as she was skating somewhat decently.

"See, you got it," he grinned and she couldn't help but give a small smile of her own.

That was until she saw Micah skating expertly around the rink.

"Woah, Micah is good," Eren said.

"Fucking brat," River mumbled bitterly, elongating her strides.

Eren laughed but it was cut short when he stumbled over his own ice skates and landed on his ass. River tried to stop but couldn't and ended up landing on top of him, making him lie completely on the ice. 

"Eren, you idiot! Don't fucking do that shit! I could have kicked you in the face or something with my skates! You need to be more aware of your damn surroundings, shit-stain."

Eren was gazing at her intently, not seeming to listen to her small tirade.

"Hey, Levi."

The name caught her by surprise and she answered before she could stop herself.

"Yeah?"

"How about you kiss me?"

"Fuck that. We aren't in some damn Hallmark movie," River said, moving to get up but he wrapped his arms around her to prevent movement.

"Humor me."

River looked into his ever changing green eyes and she found that she couldn't say no, just like any other time when she looked into his eyes. Those eyes were weapons of mass destruction.

She leaned her head down and their lips met. She noticed how cold his lips were and she didn't think that hers were any better, but kissing Eren always filled her with warmth and she could feel it now.

"Hey, get a room!"

They pulled away from each other and saw Gilbert taunting them. Eren sighed and River carefully picked herself back up.

"C'mon brat," she said as she extended her hand to him, which he took.

* * *

River did get the hang of it almost as quick as Micah did and they were in a silent competition to see who was better. After a bit, River decided that she wanted some hot chocolate that was being sold at a stand at the edge of the rink. Just as she was preparing to pay for it, Gilbert sidled up next to her.

"I'll pay for the lady," he told the elderly man behind the counter, "And I'll take what she had."

"Thank you," River said to him and he shrugged. Once he had gotten his hot chocolate and paid, they sat on a bench at the edge of the rink and watched as Eren, Tara, and Micah skated together.

"Hey, Gil," River started, trying to formulate what she had been wondering for a couple of days into words, "What did Eren want to do?"

Gilbert gave her a sideways glance as he took a sip of his drink.

"I was going to ask him, but I didn't think he would tell me," River explained.

The man sighed and looked over to where Eren was.

"He wanted to be a pediatrician," he said finally, "He always liked the thought of working with kids and making them healthy and he never thought it would be a problem with Dad because it was still medicine. But Dad made him feel like shit if he didn't actually go into surgery, so that's what Eren did."

River turned thoughtful.

"He's not a bad dad...just overbearing and old-fashioned," Gilbert said, "He didn't like it at all when I became a game designer but he got over it. I'm sure if Eren had just become a pediatrician like he wanted to, Dad would have accepted it eventually."

They fell into silence before River said quietly, "Thanks, Gilbert."

He shrugged once more. "You deserve know, at least."

* * *

Later that night, after catching dinner and a movie and returning home, River and Eren were preparing for bed.

"I think Micah enjoyed his birthday, what do you think?" Eren asked excitedly.

"Yes, I'm sure he did. Especially when you gave him that red scarf which I'm sure he is never going to take off just like before," River assured.

"What can I say, I'm sentimental," Eren shrugged, "By the way, Gil says that you are totally down for our V-day drinking tradition."

"Yeah, I can honestly say I'm relieved," River replied, "It saves me having to think of a generic and overly mushy present for you."

"You are the best, you know that," Eren said, settling into bed and pulling River down with him, "You get me."

River squirmed, trying to get comfortable in his arms before saying, "You are an idiot."

He laughed quietly and said nothing more. After a few minutes, River started to feel drowsy but she still wanted to ask him a question.

"Why did you become a surgeon?"

She felt him shift.

"Gil told you I wanted to be a pediatrician."

She knew it wasn't so much of a question as a statement and decided not to answer.

He sighed deeply before saying, "My Dad made me realize that I can save many more lives being a surgeon."

"That sounds like a bullshit answer, Eren," River challenged, "Try again."

He was quiet for a long moment. After a while, River thought he had fallen asleep until he said, "I guess I just wanted to make my Dad proud."

"That's what I thought."

She knew that telling him any different would be useless. He was smart and he already had all the facts. She knew that he knew that being a pediatrician would make him the happiest but she could do nothing to change his mind unless he wanted to. 

Still, she told him with a sleepy yawn, "I think you would have been a great pediatrician."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending didn't turn out how I wanted but...meh. 
> 
> So hey, I'm putting my tumblr [here](http://obsessionwithfiction.tumblr.com/) just in case you want to follow me or talk to me. :) I love talking about headcanons and ships and pretty much everything so go ahead and add me if you like.


	42. Valentine's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Shouldn't you be concerned about my shrinking dick and not Gil's?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I'm a love cynic (A.K.A. I'm alone for V-day the 20th time in a row) I didn't really write a mushy, lovey-dovey chapter. In fact, it's kind of the opposite...
> 
> Anyway, the song is [All Night](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FWRT9C9XMQ) by Icona Pop

River didn't know that when the night had started, she would severely regret it when she woke up. Not that she was hungover; in fact she was blessed with the gift to never get hungover. But as she looked around the trashed living room with nine other people sleeping from various spots in the room and clutched her phone that contained a very angry text from Annie, she knew she was fucked.

* * *

"Why the fuck did you buy so much alcohol?"

"Did you bring the games, Krista?"

"What can I do to help?"

"I swear, Gil, we are becoming the worst parents ever by shoving our child onto strangers."

"I found the remote!"

The whole place was bustling with more people than River normally liked and everyone seemed to be talking at once.

Eren, Hanji, and Ymir had just come back from the liquor store with enough alcohol to make a fifteen meter titan blackout drunk. They had already gotten enough food to last well into next month and had rented a fuck ton of movies. River didn't know when this had turned into a full blown party, but somehow, not only was Megan, Ymir, and Krista were once again in her house, but so were Hanji and Erwin.

Mrs. Lenz had offered to take care of Liam for the night and Krista had been planning to stay with her mother until Marta had told her to join "her girlfriend" which had surprised Eren and River to no end.

"Be back by one, however," her mother had said, "You better be back by then or you will regret it, Krista."

River didn't know what she meant by that but judging by the look on Krista's face, she didn't want to know.

"Eren! Connie says you're an ass for not inviting him to this thing!" Ymir shouted into the living room.

"Technically, none of you were invited," River muttered and only Erwin heard but he laughed wholeheartedly.

"Tell him that when he gets himself a girlfriend, namely Sasha, and can hop on a plane out here for one damn day, he can join the couple's fest," Eren yelled back.

"Wait, I don't know why I'm here," Megan said, "I'm not part of a couple."

Ymir, Krista, and River all looked from her to Micah but didn't say anything.

"We don't know why you're here either," Micah said simply before leaving the kitchen.

"You arrogant  _asshole_!" Megan yelled as she followed after him.

"Those two seem to get along well," Erwin said after a moment and River only rolled her eyes.

Hanji laughed and wrapped her arm around Erwin's waist. Their bickering could be heard from the living room before Eren came into the kitchen.

"Hey, babe. I got the TV set up and the drinks are all ready. How about the food?"

"Well considering that we ordered enough pizza to make up the weight of a ten-year-old child," Ymir answered, "I think we are good. Plus the various chips and candy we have it's like a fucking sleep over."

Eren was practically bouncing.

"Calm the fuck down, brat," River said, picking up a rather sizable bowl of cheese puffs, "I can't believe you actually plan on getting wasted tonight like a teenager when you have work tomorrow."

Eren had gone back to the hospital earlier in the week and had actually managed to start working again. He was relieved to say the least, but he had complained that he hadn't gotten a surgery yet.

Eren waved his hand in dismissal. "I don't work until six tomorrow. And it's tradition, River. It wouldn't be Valentine's Day without drinking with my brother."

"Because that is what the day of love is all about," Tara mutters, "Romantic."

"Aw, lighten up, buttercup," Gil said as he put his arm around her, "You had fun last year."

Tara opened her mouth to respond but a knock on the door interrupted her.

"That's Petra and Auruo!" Eren yelled as he left to open the door.

"Did you invite the whole damn neighborhood? Is Armin and Annie going to show up next? And who the fuck invites a pregnant woman to a drinking party?" River shouted after him but she could only hear him laugh in reply.

"I thought this was supposed to be a quiet affair?" Erwin asked sarcastically.

River turns and points at him. "You can shut the fuck up, Captain America."

And surprisingly, Krista started laughing hysterically.

* * *

Auruo had a proclivity to bit his tongue even more when he was drunk.

Eren and Gilbert could hold their alcohol pretty well but had been singing Beyonce songs for a half hour while 21 Jump Street played on the television.

Erwin had only had a single beer and that seemed like all he was going to have.

Hanji was the most plastered by far but it turned out she was a weeping drunk.

Both Micah and Megan turned out to be relatively quiet drunks but mainly because they had been playing the fucking game "Flappy Bird" since the beginning of the evening trying to outdo each other.

Ymir had lent her phone to Krista, who had refused the drink that Ymir had offered her, saying that her mother would smell it a mile away, and she was also playing the damn game but a lot less angrily than the other two.

Petra and River were the only ones that weren't voluntarily drinking at the moment. 

At some point in the night, however, someone had handed River a drink and while she at first didn't drink it, she started sipping on it as she got thirsty. It was surprisingly delicious, tasting like pink lemonade and traces of beer. She was surprised when she had finished it all and decided to get herself more.

"Fuck you! You bumped me on purpose!" Megan hissed at Micah.

"I can't help it if you are terrible at this game," he responded as he smirked.

She shoved him with her foot, knocking him off the couch, causing him to swear and inevitably lose.

"I'm still beating you," she said smugly, "I have two hundred and twenty-three."

"You cheated!" Micah spat, "And you only have eleven more so don't get too high and mighty!"

"Holy shit, Krista!" Ymir's voice came from the loveseat, "Have you even died yet?"

"I did at first a couple times, but not in a while," she responded.

Hanji wandered over behind the loveseat to see the screen and then burst into laughter.

"Damn, she is putting you guys to shame," Hanji said, pointing over to the squabbling couple, "How did you get that much?"

Krista shrugged. "I just find it easier to focus on the goal and my actions will match."

"That's...surprisingly deep for an 8-bit game," Tara said after a moment.

"What's her score?" Eren asked interested as he shoved a slice of pizza into his mouth.

"...Nine hundred and one...two...three..."

Silence filled the room except for the sound of Channing Tatum saying "I love this science shit!" from the television.

"Fuck it, let's play something else," Megan finally said as she reached for Trivial Pursuit box.

* * *

To be fair, River wasn't a giggly drunk. No, she carried the same stoic expression she always had, however, her judgment was more than impaired even thought she hadn't had that much to drink.

But nevertheless, being at Central Park in the middle of the night watching her boyfriend and his brother about to go skinny dipping brought a sharp laugh to the surface.

What had started out as an intoxicated game of Trivial Pursuit, which only Erwin, Petra, and Krista had a fighting chance of winning as they were the only sober ones, had turned into Strip Poker and then into a pubescent game of Truth or Dare.

When Eren boasted that Jaeger men never chickened out of dares, Hanji had dared both of them to go skinny dipping in the Central Park Lake. Petra and Erwin had both voiced their disapproval but nobody heeded them as they all got their winter attire on. In the back of her mind, River knew this was a terrible idea but with Eren's quick peck on the lips to assure her that he would be fine, she didn't really press the issue.

She would never admit it, but she was a complete lightweight and she had two of the fruity drink which seemed to contain more alcohol than she had previously thought.

"You two are lucky that I brought towels with me," Petra told the two men. She had brought a backpack with her which held said towels along with their clothes so they wouldn't get wet from the ground. "Does nobody care that it's in the middle of Winter and they will probably get sick?"

She was looking imploringly at River but the black haired woman only shrugged.

"Not to mention this is probably illegal," Erwin added but he didn't seem too perturbed, "I can't imagine that this would look very good for a senator."

"Erwin, you fucker, you probably could talk your way out of murder if they had caught you standing over the body with a smoking gun," River said.

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time," he said with a straight face.

"Well, that's awkward," Ymir muttered as River stared at the man and decided he was joking.

"Erwin, you shouldn't say stuff like that," Hanji reprimanded, "If I found out you were murdering people without me I would get upset."

"Hey, stop procrastinating and get in the water," Auruo shouted over to the pair of brothers.

"It's fucking cold!" Gilbert complained, toeing the water.

"No way," Micah said sarcastically, "And here I thought that water got warmer in Winter."

Suddenly, Eren pushed Gilbert into the cold water, but his plan backfired when Gil grabbed onto his arm as he fell, pulling Eren in with him.

The whole group started laughing at the two of them as they surfaced yelling about how cold the water was.

"I can't believe you pulled me in!" Eren said through chattering teeth, "I think this sobered me up really quick."

"You pushed me, you asshole," Gil returned, "Fuck, I think I can feel my dick shriveling up into my body."

"No, not my precious baby!" Tara yelled out, "I love that thing."

"Thanks, Tara," her husband muttered.

"Eren," River said with a tone of urgency, "You have to save Gil's dick."

"What the hell do you want me to do about it?"

River's response was immediate. "Suck his dick, Eren!"

Auruo bit his tongue once more and Ymir made a choking sound that turned into wholehearted laughter which Hanji joined.

"Holy shit, River,"  Krista said, appalled. Erwin looked surprised for the first time in his life and Megan was laughing so hard she was clutching onto a horrified Micah for support.

"River, I love you, but I'm not sucking my brother's dick," Eren said surprisingly calm.

"Do it for the vine!" Tara commanded.

"Pussy. You've sucked my dick before," River told him.

"You also weren't my brother!"

"Wait, you have a penis?" Erwin asked, confused.

"Not anymore, she doesn't," Hanji said through laughter, "Long story, babe."

"I think you guys need to calm down," Petra said, obviously concerned that they were going to say something incriminating with Erwin present.

"Shouldn't you be concerned about my shrinking dick and not Gil's?" Eren asked.

"Then suck each other's dick!" River suggested.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

"Dude, your girlfriend is trashed," Gilbert said to his brother.

Ymir was still laughing but she managed to say, "I'm never going to let you live this down, Captain."

"Um, I hate to interrupt, but I think there are some police officers coming our way," Krista said and with that, everyone turned to see two flashlights approaching them. Everyone sobered up immediately and River saw Erwin stiffen slightly. It was an unspoken rule that no drunk people were allowed to speak.

"Is there a problem over here," one of the officers asked the group and they all shook their heads.

"Why are you all out here in the middle of the night?"

Erwin was the one who answered, "We all decided to take a stroll after being cooped up in the apartment, Officer. I'm sorry if we have caused a disturbance."

The officer squinted at him before widening his eyes.

"You are senator Erwin Smith!  My wife loves you!"

River was sure he was displeased at being recognized but he merely smiled and nodded. Not to mention the somewhat awkward statement that followed.

"Yes, I am," he said smoothly.

"And you can your wife that he is currently taken," Hanji smiled as she reached for her husband's hand.

The police officer spluttered but then wished them a good evening before pulling his partner away from the group.

"It's lucky he was a dumbass," Ymir said, "I have a feeling that it would have been a lot harder to get away with this if he wasn't."

"Can we come out now?" Gilbert's voice came.

"You two are the sorriest excuses for men I have ever seen," Micah said as she went over to help the two of them out of the water.

* * *

Petra had also graciously packed a shitton of heating packs for the two boys and after they had quickly dried off and gotten their clothes back on, the shoved all of them down their shirts, shoes and pants.

River, at this point, was on the verge of passing out and before she knew it, she was on Eren's back being carried back to the condo as the rest of the group walked back.

"Heeeyyy, Eren?" she said lowly into his ear, "I have a way to warm up the little titan."

"That's what you are naming it? Really?"

River ignored him and continued, "We could have sex."

"As much fun as that sounds, you're drunk," Eren said.

River huffed, "Drunk sex is fun."

"Only when both parties are equally as wasted," he responded.

"Fuck you, you had more than I did."

"And apparently I hold liquor better, you lightweight," Eren teased.

She nipped at his earlobe lazily and he shuddered before saying, "River, not tonight. We have people over and things would get...uncomfortable."

"Eren's a party pooper," she said drowsily.

Eren hummed in agreement and he soon felt the even breaths of his sleeping fiance tickling his neck.

* * *

River awoke to the sound of Krista cursing.

"My mother is going to fucking kill me! Shit!" 

River opened her eyes enough to see it was daylight and she was curled up to Eren's chest. Krista was quickly searching for her phone and when she located it, she bolted from the living room. River heard the front door close seconds later and she hoped that Marta would go easy on the girl.

She sat up and surveyed the room and cringed when she saw just how messy it was. The TV screen was still on, playing the title menu for White Chicks on repeat and at some point, a karaoke machine had been produced from hell knows where.

Hanji was sprawled out in one of the two cushioned chairs while Erwin had fallen asleep sitting up but his head leaning back against Hanji. Petra and Auruo were nowhere to be seen and Ymir had taken the entire loveseat. Gil and Tara were tangled up on the couch and she saw that Megan had her face buried into Micah's chest and he had an arm around her.

While River never got hangovers, she had the unfortunate habit of being a blackout drunk. She couldn't remember anything past the first couple questions of Trivial Pursuit and something told her she didn't want to.

She felt around for her phone and found it in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw it was two in the afternoon and that she only had a single text. What surprised her was that it was from Annie. Then her heart dropped.

_Wanna tell me why the hell Eren and Micah called Armin's phone at three in the morning drunker than a Civil War amputee? They were both going on about how glad they were have him in their life and how he was the smarter than shitty titans._

She smacked Eren in the chest and he woke up quickly and sat up suddenly but then seemed to regret as soon as he did. He groaned and pushed his hands into his face.

"What the hell did you do last night?" River hissed.

"Too much," he moaned, "Although, you aren't entirely innocent yourself."

"Yeah, well I sure as hell didn't call Armin while drunk off my ass and talk about titans," she replied, trying not to think too much about what he meant by his statement.

Eren looked up at her, his face turning pale. Then, he covered his mouth and stood and ran to the bathroom to presumably vomit.

River turned her attention to the cellphone.

_what did Armin say?_

She didn't wait long for the reply.

_He's so lucky that it was me that answered the phone. I just told Armin that it was a telemarketer. You fuckers owe me._

At that moment, another phone rang and Gilbert started to stir as well as several other people.

"Shut the fuck up," Ymir groaned.

Gil sat up and reached for the ringing phone, rolling his eyes when he saw the caller ID.

"Hey, Mom," he said as he answered it. 

River texted Annie back.

_i told him about him calling Armin's phone but i think I’m going to let him stew for a while worrying about what he said._

Annie only replied with a one word answer, " _Good"_   and River didn't see the need to reply so she stood and tried to figure out where to clean first and who would be sober enough to help her.

"What?" Gil's voice rose as he talked into the phone, "No...Mom. Are you really? Shit. I mean crap....Yeah, I'll tell him but I don't think he's going to be happy. Yes, Mom. Okay, bye."

He hung up the phone and looked over at River with a strange look on his face.

"What was that about?" River asked.

"Well-"

"River," Eren interrupted, leaning against the doorpost and looking down.

"Woah, what's wrong with you?" Gil asked drowsily.

"Bad morning," Eren muttered back.

Gil sucked in a breath then released it.

"Well, it's gonna get even worse. Mom and Dad are in town."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like most of my chapters, this didn't turn out at all how I wanted. Ugh.
> 
> Anyway, there is the V-day chapter. I was inspired by a conversation I had with my friend Alex about what kind of drunk River would be and this was the result. Hopefully I did our headcanon justice.
> 
> The drink that River had was a drink that my friend created which seriously has a shit load of alcohol in it. Honestly, it takes half a glass to get tipsy (I had four, yeah, I was faded) but it tastes really good.
> 
> I'm tired and I want chicken nuggets but I have to work in 6 hours.
> 
> Happy Valentine's Day. Hope you enjoyed the chapter even though it was weird as fuck and has no sense of continuity at all.


	43. Parents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I just wanted to say...Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, wow. Look at who didn't have the motivation to write this chapter at all. -.- This was a painful chapter but also one of my favorites to write. Hahahahaha I hate writing.
> 
> No song because this chapter took way too long to write and I don't feel like finding one.

Eren was, predictably, running around like a chicken with his head cut off, while River was even more irritated than usual.

"Eren always gets like this when Mom and Dad visit," Gil told Micah, "Plus, I'm sure he is just nervous about them meeting River.

They were in the kitchen helping Tara with dinner while Eren was trying to convince his fiancee that everything would go off without a hitch. Liam was sleeping in Tara and Gil's room where Eren and River's dog had taken to guarding the room, growling lowly at anybody who got to close to the baby, except for Tara.

"If all else fails and the conversation stalls," Micah said to the two of them with a straight face, "You can just tell the story of how River told you to suck your brother's dick."

Gil snorted a laugh and even Eren let out a chuckle. River, however, was none to pleased.

"Shut the hell up, Ackerman," the small woman ground out, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Just be sure to let them know that River loves hugs, Eren," Micah told him, smirking slightly when River let out a "Fuck you" and stomped away.

"When did she become so dramatic?" Micah muttered himself.

It was then that Eren sidled up to Micah, surprising him a little. Tara and Gil were trying to decided what type of wine to have with the dinner, not paying attention to the two at all.

"Hey, I know everybody is worried about River meeting Mom and Dad, but what about you?"

The question surprised Micah and he looked at Eren, seeing his green eyes searching the dark-haired man's face.

"I'm fine," Micah answered.

"Liar."

It was something that Micah could only consider dumb luck that Eren always knew when he was lying, even before this life. Normally, Eren was a hot-headed idiot who didn't pick up on people's inner thoughts and emotions, but he had always been able to tell with Micah. It warmed his heart but annoyed him at the same time.

Micah sighed. "I'll be fine, Eren. Really. But thank you."

Eren didn't look completely convinced. 

"They were your parents too," he said quietly.

He was right, of course. Even though he had his parents alive now, it didn't change the fact that Eren's parents had taken him in as a small girl and became his second family. And he had promised Eren's mother that he would look out for Eren, even if she didn't remember. That was something he would never forget.

"I know," he replied, "But really, I'll be alright."

Eren placed a hand on his shoulder and Micah gave him a reassuring smile. 

Then, the doorbell rang and Eren nearly jumped out of his skin.

"They're here! River, they're-"

"I heard Eren!" she said, appearing in the doorway, "Now come on and introduce me."

Eren gave Micah's shoulder a squeeze before leaving the kitchen with River.

"Eren's cute when he's nervous," Tara said offhandedly, "And so is River, even if she tries to hide it. I can't wait for her to become apart of the family."

"She makes Eren happy," Gil shrugged, "It's nice to see him this happy. However, I worry about her meeting Dad..."

This piqued Micah's interest.

"Is there something wrong with you father?" he asked the younger Jaeger brother.

"Well-"

"No," Tara interrupted, shooting Gilbert a look, "He's a good man, but he can be...rather traditional and old-fashioned in some areas."

Gil scoffed at that but said nothing more as the sound of greetings came from the entryway.

"Eren!" the familiar voice of Carla Jaeger came, "And you must be River!"

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Jaeger," River said, sounding horrendously polite.

"Oh, call me, Carla. Can I give you a hug?"

"N-"

"River loves hugs, Mom," Eren said.

Micah, Tara, and Gil all laughed quietly. They could practically hear the mental berating she was giving Eren in her mind.

"Oh, good!" 

Then a new voice spoke, just as recognizable as the first.

"Hello, Eren."

"Hey, Dad!" Eren said excitedly, "It's been a while!"

"It's good to see you, son," Mr. Jaeger said warmly, "It's nice to meet you. This is a nice place you have."

"Oh no," Gil muttered under his breath before moving towards the hallway. Micah cast a questioning glance at Tara but she only shook her head.

"Thank you."

"I'm assuming the two of you own it?" he asked.

"Actually-" Eren's voice said but was interrupted by Gil going around the corner.

"Mom! Dad! Hey!" he said cheerily, "It's great to see you. Dinner is almost ready but I'm sure Eren would love to give a tour of the house first, right?"

"Gil! Hello, sweetheart. Where's Tara?" Mrs. Jaeger asked her son.

"I'm in the kitchen!" Tara said, as she pulled the baking lasagna out of the oven.

The four of them came into the kitchen and Micah looked over Eren's parents.

They looked different from before but they were definitely still the same people. Carla had shorter hair than she had previously; styled in a way that made it just touch her shoulders. It took everything he had to forget that the last time he had seen the woman, she was struggling in a titan's hand, about to be eaten.

Grisha no longer had long hair either, instead, it was short and styled in a professional manner. He had rimless glasses and a short goatee that made him look like an actual doctor. It was quite a change from what she remembered him as.

"Hello, Tara!" Carla said, coming over to give Tara a quick hug.

"Hi, Carla. Hi, Grisha," Tara said to the couple.

Greetings were once more given before the older woman turned her attention to Micah.

"Oh, hello! And you are...?"

"Mom, Dad, this is Micah," Eren introduced as he slung an arm around Micah's shoulders, "He's like a brother to me."

"What about me?" Gil asked in mock betrayal. 

"Micah didn't break my arm," Eren laughed.

"That was fifteen years ago, Eren! Let it go!"

Tara got a grin on her face and opened her mouth but Gil shot her a look.

"Don't you dare start singing that stupid song again," Gil said to her and she only laughed.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Micah," Carla said as she hugged Micah as well. After a moments hesitation, he hugged her back and looked to see Eren smiling at the two of them.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Mr. and Mrs. Jaeger," he said, pulling away.

"Please," Grisha said, extending his hand, "That makes us sound old. Call us Carla and Grisha."

"But you  _are_ old," Gilbert joked.

"Careful. I brought you into this world, I can take you out of it," Carla threatened, but there was a twinkle in her eye.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just show you around.

* * *

After Eren and River had shown off the place and Eren's parents had gotten to see their new grandson, they were all sitting at the dining room table, eating happily and discussing small matters, with Liam gurgling happily in is baby carrier close to Tara and Cook still guarding the baby. Eren and River had seemed to relax a bit in the presence of his parents and Micah was glad to see that they were enjoying themselves.

"So, River, Eren tells us that you are a successful author," Grisha stated.

River had been in the middle of taking a drink, so she nodded before she swallows and answered, "Yes, I am."

"What made you begin writing?" Carla asked her eagerly.

River shrugged. "I have always wanted to do it, but I never really got the chance to until after my mother died."

"Oh, I'm so sorry for you loss," the green-eyed woman said sadly.

"Thank you," River smiled slightly at her before continuing, "I didn't expect to be as successful at it as I am. I make a pretty decent living, as you can see."

"Oh, so Eren and you don't own this place together?" Grisha asked, and there was something hard in his voice.

"Ah, no, Dad," Eren spoke, "I moved in after River had bought the place."

"Hm, I see," the man said but didn't comment further.

"And what do you, Micah?" Carla said, trying to avoid a tense silence.

"I'm an accountant," he lied smoothly and Eren's eyebrow twitched in suspicion.

"And that pays well?" Mr. Jaeger asked and Micah nodded.

"I have several important clients back in the U.K., so I make quite a bit of money."

"Maybe you can help Eren once he becomes a neurosurgeon like his old man," Grisha said jovially and Micah smiled slightly and nodded.

"Actually, Dad, I was thinking that maybe Neuro isn't for me..."

The whole dinner table went quiet. Micah and River were the only ones who actually knew why Eren was saying this now, but Micah didn't quite understand the tension that came with the statement.

Grisha put his silverware down to look at Eren.

"I thought that was what you wanted."

"I know but-"

"That's what you said you were going to specialize in when you moved to New York."

"Yeah, but I think something else might be a choice for me," Eren said a bit desperately.

"Such as?"

Everyone was looking from Eren to his father and back to Eren again but nobody said a word. There was something about the stillness of the room and the calm manner in which Grisha spoke that made the whole situation fragile.

"...maybe Pediatric surgery," Eren said quietly and Gil took in a breath.

"Eren, I thought we discussed this before," Mr. Jaeger said.

"We did, but I really think it might be better."

"You know that Neuro pays a lot better than Pediatric. Think of your future, River, your future children. Don't you want what's best for them?"

Eren looked down and nodded slowly.

"You can be dependent on River. It's not her job to support you, but the other way around. Think for a moment and take responsibility as a man," Grisha finished.

There was a quiet moment before River cleared her throat.

"If I may say something," she said and continued before the older man could respond, "I'm really shit with words so I will just cut to the chase. In my understanding of relationships and marriage, there is no set role of man and woman, only mutual respect between two people. Excuse me if I'm overstepping my boundaries, but if the roles were reversed, or if I were a man, it seems as if you wouldn't have a problem with it, and that frankly, is very biased and somewhat offensive to me, as if telling me that I shouldn't help my fiance when he needs it but also telling him that he is less of a man because he needs my help."

Gilbert dropped his spoon and looked as if he wanted to start applauding. Tara could only stare at River with wide eyes while Mrs. Jaeger smirked.

"I understand what you are saying, but as a woman, you cannot possibly understand what it is like to take on the responsibilities of a man and-"

"Oh, I think I might understand a bit better than you think, sir," River said with a glint in her eye.

" _And_ therefore, you must know your place."

At this, River could only stare at him in shock just as Micah was looking at him. However, it was Eren who broke the silence this time.

"Dad! Don't you  _ever_ speak to River like that again!" he said as civilly as he could seem to manage, looking up at his father with an angry look in his eye, "She is to be my future wife and if I ever hear you belittling her because of something as inconsequential as her sex, than I will not hesitate to tell you to leave."

River looked over at Eren with a strange, affectionate look in her eye, but he did not meet her gaze, his eyes staring hard into his father's eyes. Gilbert had started eating again, keeping quiet while both Tara and Carla were wearing similar looks of pride at Eren's words.

After a few moments, Grisha looked down at his food before looking at River.

"I apologize for my rude behavior and words," he said humbly, "I hope you can forgive me."

River nodded slightly before returning to her meal. The rest of dinner was slightly awkward and tense for everyone, but once desert was brought out, a homemade apple pie that Tara had made, the atmosphere lightened a little.

When they had all gotten a slice, Micah had decided he wanted whipped cream on his so he got a can out and sprayed it on top.

"Oh, Mikasa, can you pass me the whipped cream?" Carla said absently as she placed her plate in front of her. Micah froze.

He was aware that River and Eren were staring at him, but he couldn't bring himself to care as he stared at Eren's mother. Eventually, she looked up at him.

"What?" she said, a bit self-consciously.

"You called him Mikasa," Gil said before shoving a piece of pie in his mouth, "It probably confused him."

"Oh, silly me, I don't know why I called you that, Micah," she laughed, "Sometimes I say strange things."

"I still love you for it, though," her husband said as he took her hand and smiled.

Micah handed her the can of whipped cream and looked over at Eren, a silent question in his eyes. Eren shrugged and shook his head, showing that he didn't know if she remembered or not.

"Mr. Jaeger. Mrs. Jaeger," Micah said quietly and they both turned to him.

"I just wanted to say...Thank you," Micah said, putting all the emotions he could into his words, hoping that they would note the sincerity of them.

The both looked utterly confused but only Carla smiled and said, "I'm not sure what you are thanking us for, but, you're welcome. Anytime."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...this was supposed to be up on Sunday but I wrote this from River's perspective and I really didn't like it. So I scrapped it and wrote it from Micah's point of view and I like it a lot better. I have a lot of feelings about this chapter.
> 
> I really wanted to stay away from the "Eren's dad is a complete and utter dick" trope but I did want to show how overbearing he could be at the same time. I hope that it came across that he is a loving father but just doesn't know how to handle his sons quite right.
> 
> I also think that because it is modern times, Grisha wouldn't look like a freaking pedophile, therefore, I gave him short hair and rectangular glasses instead, along with more facial hair.
> 
> Bonus points if you caught the Disney reference in the chapter.


	44. Wedding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I was totally serious about no sex and your month begins now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, look at who is the piece of shit who finally decided to update. I'm so sorry about the long delay but I'm hoping to get back on track. I started an RP with my girlfriend and I kinda got...preoccupied. Whatevs. I apologize profusely.
> 
> Song is [Pumpin Blood](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUT49JWxiz8) by NONONO

The next month passed peacefully. Gilbert and Tara left after their extended stay soon followed by Eren's parents, who both seemed to approve of River. Even Grisha, much to Eren's relief, especially after their disagreement at their very first meeting. However, Carla couldn't seem to leave without asking a question that had put Eren on edge for the entire next month.

The end of March brought fluctuating weather and fluctuating weather brought sickness. It wasn't long before people were coming into the hospital with complaints of colds and congestion as well as fever. Eren usually had a high immunity for the common sickness, but this time, he himself came down with the case of the sniffles, blowing his nose and taking Aspirin to lower his fever. Since he was sick, he wasn't allowed to partake in any surgeries, instead, he did rounds and worked on paper work.

He would come home and throw himself on his bed groaning before he fell asleep, telling himself he would shower before he went to work the next day. River was on yet another trip, this time to see how production was going on the adaptation of her book and therefore, could not yell at Eren to actually get himself undressed and eat something. Regardless, he missed her.

A couple days of this went by until River actually came home, expecting Eren to rush and give her an excited hug like he always did. When no hug came, she immediately knew something was up.

Walking towards the bedroom and entering, she saw Eren sprawled out on their bed on his stomach, still dressed and snoring. Upon closer inspection, she saw that he was, in fact, sweating and had a high fever.

She shook him awake and he groaned before opening one eye to look at her.

"Oh...hi, Baby," he said in gravelly voice, "I missed you."

"Fuck, Eren. Have you been going to work like this?"

He nodded and closed his eyes again. "Can't miss work when I just started going back. I have tomorrow off though...so...sleep."

River sighed and rolled him over, ignoring his whining protests.

"When is the last time you've eaten?" she asked as she started to tug his pants off.

"Dunno," he replied sleepily, "Had some crackers sometime."

She muttered about how he was useless without her and managed to put him in a fresh clothes before getting him under the covers and putting an ice pack on his forehead.

"I'm going to make you some soup, okay?" River said to him, stroking the side of his face gently, a move she would probably never do if he wasn't sick.

"Mmkay. I love you," he said slowly as she left the room.

River decided to make him some Miso soup, something her mother taught her how to make, which helped with colds like Eren's. Soon enough, it was made, the smell enough to make River hungry, but she would have to wait.

It took some persuading, but she finally got Eren to eat an entire bowl before she gave him some water along with some fever medication.

She was just about to leave to put the dishes in the sink before Eren grabbed her wrist and pulled her down onto the bed next to him. She tried to struggle away, but he wrapped his arms around her.

"No," he whined, "Stay here, Levi."

She sighed. "You are being a giant baby. It's like your stupidity has increased ten fold."

Eren didn't respond, only pushed his face into her hair.

"If you get me sick, Eren, so help me I will not sleep with you for a month," River threatened.

"Don't be a party pooper, Levi," Eren murmured. River rolled her eyes and said nothing, deciding to let Eren fall asleep before she got up and took care of the dishes.

Just when she thought Eren had finally succumbed to exhaustion, he spoke.

"Mom asked me when our wedding is going to be."

River's mind halted. 

It wasn't as if she had forgotten they were engaged, but the thought of starting to plan a wedding, seeing Eren in a tux, saying 'I do', and everything else, gave River nervous butterflies in her stomach. Knowing you were getting married and actually starting to plan for a wedding and a life after marriage seemed completely different. It was just as exciting as it was nerve wracking.

"What did you tell her?" she asked quietly.

"I said that I would let her know," he answered.

Neither of them moved or talked for a moment before River said, "How about a Spring wedding?"

"This Spring?!"

She rolled her eyes.

"No, dumbass. Maybe next spring? Of course, if you had another idea I could-"

"That sounds great, River. Really," he said and she could practically hear him smiling, "I should be a resident by then and be making more money and we will have plenty of time to plan it. I wonder if Armin will be my best man even though he doesn't really know me. Do you think-"

"Eren," River said, chuckling a bit, "Go to sleep. We can talk more about it when you are fully healthy, okay?"

He hummed and snuggled closer to River.

Another moment passed before River said, "What about April fourth?"

"Huh?"

"Let's have the wedding on April fourth," she said quietly.

"Okay...why that specific date?" Eren asked her, genuinely curious.

"It's...my mother's birthday," River admitted, "I just thought that since she couldn't be here for it, it would be nice..."

Eren kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back comfortingly.

"It sounds perfect. April fourth it is."

* * *

A week later, Eren was as healthy as he was before, maybe even healthier. However, he had new problems.

"Fuck you, Jaeger," River said in a stuffy voice from their bed, "I was totally serious about no sex and your month begins now."

Eren ignored her complaints, bringing her chicken noodle soup. He had to admit that while he wasn't happy she was uncomfortable, she looked pretty damn adorable with her hair in a messy bun and a red nose and her bottom lip jutting out, blissfully unaware of the fact she was pouting.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love you guys!


	45. Stables and Other Things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't think of a good birthday chapter for Eren, but Happy Birthday you green eyed beauty.
> 
> Song: [Team](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2JuxM-snGc) by Lorde

Spring came. Well, at least the season did. The weather had yet to catch up with the time of year, despite March and April passing peacefully.

Micah ended up leaving at the end of March, saying that his job couldn't be held off any longer. Strangely, the one who seemed to be the most upset was Megan. Even after that, Krista revealed that Megan still kept in touch with him.

The days passed rather quickly after that. River was doing more writing, Steve still came to harass the woman every so often, much to her displeasure, and Eren was preparing for his intern exam.

It wasn't until a sunny day mid-April that anything exciting happened.

Eren had the day off that day and was lazily watching TV as River sat in the bedroom/study with Steve working on a draft. Ymir was in the kitchen on her laptop, sorting through emails for River when she let out a whoop.

"Hey, fuckers! C'mere! You're going to want to see this," she called out and Eren sighed, hoping it wasn't another stupid video or nude picture that some people tended to send to River with the addition of 'Future Husband' or even 'Future Wife'.

Apparently, River had the same idea because she yelled, "I'm not interested in your porn, Ymir."

"This isn't porn!"

Eren got up and begrudgingly and shuffled over to where Ymir was. She shoved her laptop so he could see it and he read the screen.

_From: k-9débris_

_To: rivaillenovels_

_Subject: Survey Corps Hoodies?_

_Hey, this may sound a bit strange, but I noticed that the new designs for the hoodies from your movie coming out is really similar to something called the Survey Corps. If you don't know what that is, just disregard this email, but I have to wonder...are you Captain Levi?_

_-Jean Kirstein_

"Holy shit," Eren said.

"I know!"

"HOLY SHIT!"

"I KNOW!"

"What are you guys yelling about?" River asked grumpily as she came into the kitchen. Eren gestured wordlessly to the computer and she took a minute to look it over before she asked, "When was this sent?"

"About five minutes ago," Ymir reported.

"Then why the fuck haven't you replied yet?" River asked.

Ymir went to grab her laptop, but Eren was already typing back.

_Hey, horse face, its great to see you were finally let out of your stables! The jackets were actually Hanji's idea. Have you seen anybody else from our past? We've found Armin, Annie, Ymir, Krista, Connie, Erwin, Mikasa (who is a dude now), Hanji, and Levi (who is now my fiancee so suck it Kirstein). Hanji said that she found Marco and he lives in Florida, but he doesn't remember. Stay golden, pony boy._

_-Eren fucking Jaeger_

"Could you be any more immature," River sighed but Ymir chortled.

"Probably not," Eren said as he kissed her on the temple.

Only a few minutes later, they had a reply.

_You fucking suicidal bastard. I wish I could say that I'm pissed to hear from you but it's great to know that I'm not crazy and it's all in my head. You've found that many people already? I'm the only one I know of that remembers this shit. I live in France now, so I'm not really close to any of you if you live in America._

_And you seriously found Marco? He's alive? That freckled son of a bitch. I hate you so much, Jaeger, but I can't deny that I'm glad that you are all alive too._

_And stop calling me horse face. This horse face saved your ass several times._

_-Jean_

"I think it's time we give him our numbers," Ymir suggested, "And we should probably tell Hanji that we found another person."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the short chapter. I wanted to write more, but the words wouldn't come this time. THERE WILL BE A JEANMARCO CHAPTER!! It's super cute and I've had it written for ages but it's not going to be for a couple more chapters. :D 
> 
> So we have Jean accounted for! I'm so happy! :D


	46. Runaway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Fuck what the doctor says! I'm going to accomplish my goal."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Alone Together](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuNTFGnVm4k) by Fall Out Boy
> 
>  **Warning:** This chapter contains manga spoilers.

At the beginning of June, Ymir was in the hospital. Not for herself, but she would almost rather it be that. Getting a call saying that her girlfriend was in the hospital was ten times worse than anything she had ever heard. 

Needless to say, she pretty much booked it to the hospital.

Her fast pace quickly led her to the front desk, and then eventually to Krista's room in a frenzy, seeing Krista's mom step out of the room for a minute.

"What the hell happened? Is she alright? Is she in surgery? Wh-"

"Ymir!" Mrs. Lenz interrupted her, "She's okay. She was practicing with a partner and he dropped her and she landed wrong. She broke her ankle."

She said this sadly, thinking the same thing Ymir was. Krista would be devastated. She had actually managed to get a private audition with a representative from the New York City Ballet and it was only a week away and she definitely couldn't preform with a broken ankle.

"How is she?" Ymir asked seriously.

"She's...upset," the woman answered, "I think she was waiting for you to come though."

Ymir nodded and entered the room. The first thing she saw was the cast before looking up at her blonde girlfriend. Krista had obviously been crying and Ymir swore she could kill the person who had dropped her and caused her pain. Wasn't her partner to make sure that she didn't fall? Wasn't it part of his job to make sure she was safe?

She rushed over to the bed and gave the blonde girl a hug and Krista sniffled a bit before she pulled away and smiled.

"I can see murder in your eyes," she gave a hollow laugh and Ymir could swear she saw tear slip out of the corner of Krista's eye before the younger girl wiped it away.

"Historia..."

"It's fine!" she insisted, "It's fine. I already talked with the representative and my private dance tutor and she said we will just have to try again in the fall."

Ymir didn't say anything, wondering if her ankle would be strong enough after the weeks in the cast.

"Krista, dear, the doctor is here," her mother announced as a middle aged man with a white coat came in.

"Ah, Miss Lenz, how are you feeling?" he asked kindly.

"Pretty damn shitty," the blonde answered honestly and Ymir would have laughed if it were a different situation.

"Krista!" her mother scolded lightly, "Watch your language!"

Krista apologized to the doctor and he waved her off.

"At least you were honest," the man said before he sighed and put up some X-rays, "As you can see, the damage to your ankle was unusually extensive for such a short drop. You landed in such a way that this bone here completely broke off and damaged some of the muscle."

He was pointing at various parts of Krista's foot so  they could follow along easily.

The doctor turned towards the three women, looking as if he were about to share bad news and Mrs. Lenz grasped her daughter's hand.

"Fortunately, it will heal within 6-8 weeks if you keep weight off of it," he said before hesitating, "However, afterwards, there will be some physical therapy that you will need to go through and because of the damage to your muscle...well, I'm afraid that to avoid injuring yourself further, you cannot dance anymore, Miss Lenz."

Ymir felt the air get sucked from her like a vacuum. That couldn't be true. Dancing was Krista's dream in this life. Something that she could do and feel successful and happy doing.

She felt Krista grip her hand tightly and she looked down to see Krista looking at the doctor, stoned faced.

He continued talking for a bit, going into detail about the extent of her injury and treatment afterwards. He took his leave soon enough, saying that Krista would be discharged soon, once the nurse brought the paperwork. Mrs. Lenz started soothing her daughter immediately.

"Krista, I'm sure we can work through this honey. I know it's your dream to dance, but somehow we can-" 

"Mom?" Krista interrupted quietly, "Can you go get me a bottle of water, please?"

The older woman looked at her for a moment before kissing her on the forehead.

"Sure, sweetheart. I'll be right back."

The woman scurried out of the room and they both sat in silence for a moment.

"Historia-"

"I  _am_  going to dance again," Krista said determinedly, fingering at the necklace Ymir had given her on her birthday, "I know I can. If Commander Erwin could lose his arm and still lead a bloodles coup d'état which led me to being queen, I can certainly dance again."

"Historia," Ymir said slowly, "You heard what the doctor said. You could injure yourself more!"

"Fuck what the doctor says!" Krista exploded and Ymir saw fire in her eyes, "I'm going to accomplish my goal, Ymir. I know who I am and what I want to do and I'm going to get there if it kills me. Historia Reiss, queen and international ballerina. That will be me."

Ymir looked at her and smirked.

"Alright, Blondie, you will dance again," Ymir assured her, "And I will help you get there, alright?"

Krista gave a single nod before glaring at her ankle in the cast. After a moment, her expression softened.

"Hey, Ymir?"

"Yeah?"

"I have six weeks in this thing," she stated.

Ymir looked at her, confused. "Yeah...?"

"And I'm out of school for the summer and I can't dance. I have nothing to do all summer."

"Is there a point here, Historia?"

Krista fidgeted for a moment before she looked up at Ymir.

"I want to go on that road trip."

At first, Ymir let out a short bark of laughter because surely she was joking but when Krista's serious expression didn't change, Ymir sobered up.

"You can't be serious!" Ymir exclaimed.

"I am. Let's get a van and drive across America, Ymir. You know I've always wanted to do it," Krista said.

"You're out of your damn mind, Historia! You can't just  _buy_ a van just like that, and even if I did, your mom would never let you," Ymir argued.

"Then don't tell her. We can just run away together. I'll leave a note saying I will be back in six weeks and she can punish me afterwards. Better to ask forgiveness than permission, right?"

"Historia, do you realize...just how dangerous it would be?"

"That didn't seem to bother you when you said you would come with me at my birthday celebration," Krista countered, "Why are you so against this?"

"Um, I don't know, maybe because it's crazy? I could get arrested for kidnapping a minor!"

"My mom wouldn't charge you," Krista said with a wave of her hand, "C'mon, Ymir. Please? Otherwise, we'll both be bored all summer and I won't think of anything except how long it's going to be before I can dance again."

Ymir chewed on her lip looking at Krista's pleading expression before closing her eyes and shaking her head.

"I must be crazy for even considering this," Ymir groaned.

"Yay! I knew you would come around!"

"How are you going to sneak out, hmm? It's not like you can just walk out the door," Ymir said, "Plus, you would have to pack your shit...I guess I have enough saved for a van if it wasn't horribly expensive...We would need to budget for gas and food as well..."

"I have crutches, Ymir," Krista rolled her eyes, "And don't worry about money, I can get us some."

"How the hell-"

"My dad gave me an unlimited credit card a couple years back," Krista sighed, "Doesn't make up for him being a shitty dad and I haven't ever used it really but now is as good a time as any."

Ymir never really heard about Krista's dad. Krista didn't ever feel like sharing. She mentioned him here and there, and from what Ymir could gather, her dad basically paid Krista and her mom to keep quiet that he had an illegitimate daughter. Both women didn't seem to care; they were well taken care of, and that's all that mattered.

"Fine, but there is one last thing I need to take care of."

* * *

River felt her phone buzzing in her pocket and she marked her page in her book, wondering who was calling and answered it when she saw Ymir's name.

"Hey, how's the blonde brat?" River asked.

"She's fine," Ymir's voice answered, "But I would like to take some vacation time."

River squinted.

"How long?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Six weeks."

River sighed. "You fucktard. You haven't even been working for me for a year. Why the hell do you think I would give you six weeks vacation time?"

She heard murmuring at the other end of the phone before Ymir's voice spoke to her again.

"How about I still work long distance, kind of like I do when you fly out of New York? I'll still schedule your meetings, press conferences, book signings, and whatever other shit you need and send you relevant e-mails everyday."

River considered this. If it were anybody else, she knew it would be a disaster. But Ymir had always worked hard and she hadn't had a single issue with Ymir before.

"Fine, but I want you back in six weeks," River said sharply.

"Will do, Captain. Thank you."

River hung up the phone and sighed and Eren looked up from his phone.

"What was that about?"

"Ymir is taking some vacation time," River said blandly.

"Really?" Eren's eyes held mischief and one of his eyebrows twitched upwards.

"Yes, really, brat," River said irritably, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I was just thinking that nobody besides her has a key to this place except us, so we could do whatever we wanted, wherever we wanted, whenever we wanted."

River caught his meaning and she felt a strange fluttering in her stomach.

"I suppose you're right."

* * *

River's phone rang again from somewhere in the room and she opened her eyes to see the bright sun. It was morning already and she was lying on the floor, naked, intertwined with Eren. What the fuck had she been thinking?

She disentangled herself from him and he groaned at the loss of warmth and she quickly located her phone.

"Hello?" she answered in a scratchy voice and winced.

"River? It's Marta."

"Oh...hey," River said, suddenly hoping that the woman didn't hear her and Eren's activities last night.

"Hi," she replied, "I was just wondering if Ymir is coming into work today."

"Ymir?" River asked, "No, she is kind of taking six weeks off. I thought she would be down there with Krista."

"Hmm," the other woman said, "No, she isn't. Krista isn't here either but she did leave a note saying she would be back in six weeks."

"They ran away?" River asked. That dumbass. River should have seen this coming.

"Yes, it would seem so," the woman said, "I just wanted to make sure that Ymir was with her."

"You are awfully calm about this," River stated suspiciously.

"I may or may not have heard them talking about it in the hospital," Marta answered, "I could have stopped them then, but I know that as long as Ymir is with her, Krista will be fine. I will punish her when she gets back, though."

River raised her eyebrows.

"Holy shit. You're a cool mom."

Marta laughed.

"I always thought that was just another term for irresponsible so now I'm rethinking my decision," she answered, "Well, anyway, I have to get to work. I'll talk to you later River."

The both hung up and River sent a quick text to Ymir.

_You're a dumbass._

Only moments later, she got a response.

_yea, so are you. go back to banging eren on every surface of the house._

River rolled her eyes and set down her phone before crawling back to the warmth of Eren's arms. Maybe they should run away someday.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to post this yesterday, but I got lazy.  
> Anyway, tell my your thoughts! You guys are so great and you've supported me through thick and thin. I love you guys <3


	47. Bampot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You aren't a pot bam or whatever."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In celebration of 10,000 hits, I give you a new chapter with new characters! 
> 
> Song: [Don't Say Goodnight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK2OUjXzEhY) by Hot Chelle Rae

Summer for Connie usually meant hanging out in his hometown with his childhood friends playing video games and eating junk food until he got sick. This time, however, his friend Jared invited him to come to Scotland with him and as a newly decided anthropology major, he decided it was a good idea.

Jared said he had family there and eighteen hours later, they were in Dingwall, Scotland, settling into a small cottage with Jared's aunt, uncle, and cousin.

Connie had never actually been to another country before and was excited to see the town, even if Jared said it was a tiny town with nothing to offer.

Jared's family was nice and luckily enough, Connie was a likable person and they took to him very well. Connie had a hard time understanding them sometimes with their thick Scottish accents, but he found that it reminded him of Sasha a bit.

Much to Connie's surprise, Jared was right about nothing being in the town and had thoroughly seen everything to see within two days. Tulloch Castle was pretty cool, but with two weeks left, Connie was left a bit stir crazy. He took to texting Eren, who he found out was having an extended sexcapade with River, before he tried texting Ymir and Krista, in which he found out that the two of them had run off into the sunset or some shit. Needless to say, he was feeling extremely left out, feeling like the only single person at a couple's parade until he remembered that Eren had given him Jean's number.

Connie then started texting him as well, glad to see that their relationship wasn't awkward despite the time spent not knowing each other existed. But even with Jean being his lifeline and only other single person he knew, at least until Jean found his freckled cowboy, he was still bored. 

Jared's cousin, Scott, was quite the card and promised an exciting night on their third day there. Jared actually seemed excited, telling Connie that Scott's friends were always interesting.

"And hot too," Jared said and it was obvious that he was hoping to get into some girl's pants that night.

In all, there was a group of eight of them and they ended up going to a place called Oscars Sports Bar, which was small, but wasn't too crowded, even though it was a Friday.

They sat in a corner and they ordered a round of beers, which Connie was happy to see that they didn't even try to card them, before Scott explained that they were old enough to drink in Scotland.

"Thay dinna gie a shet an'way," he said in his thick accent.

As the night went on, Connie found himself enjoying the night, finding out that the tall, scraggly boy named Silas was engaged to the plump, red haired girl who, for some reason, Connie kept forgetting her name. There was a dark skinned girl named Ava that seemed to be very cozy with Jared and didn't mind in the least when the slightly buzzed man pulled her into his lap as she giggled.

"Thay do this e'ry time he comes here," Scott mentioned to Connie, "I think thay jest like a quick fuck."

There was another girl at the table who Connie noticed was trying to get him to come on to her, but he was sure to avoid eye contact to steer her clear of him.

They all fell into happy conversation, nursing their beers and ordering food while they were at it.

While they were there, Connie noticed another group of people come in, mostly men, but they all cheered when a girl came in and high fived her. Connie couldn't see the girl; other people were sitting in the way and she had her back to them as she sat at the bar.

"What was that about?" Connie asked looking around at the table.

"Ah, that's jest the Bampot of Dingwall," Scott's friend Christian said, "She's popular wi' the auld men and women 'cause she can drink and eat her weight and she's polite."

"That, and she's crazy and thay feel bad," Ava giggled, "We used tae be neighbors. She always told strange stories and never really stopped. Any lad who asked her oot was always rejected 'cause she said she was waiting for her lover to find her."

"Nae only that, she always carried around a bow 'n' arrow," Scott added.

"Tae be fair, it was a fake one and she was ten," Silas interjected and the red haired girl looked happy that he defended the weird girl.

Connie didn't really feel like he had any right to judge the strange girl, but he doubted he would have much contact with her. The subject changed and Connie got involved in a new conversation.

It wasn't until maybe eleven, long after Connie had quit drinking, quite out of character for him since he usually drank until he passed out, that the loud cheers at the bar turned into laughter, the girl's ringing out noticeably. 

"'Scuse me gentlemen. I hae to take a piss," she said sliding off the stool. Connie flicked his eyes upwards away from the conversation for a moment and it turned out to be at just the right moment.

Connie felt his mouth drop open and it took the girl a good half minute with a scrunched up expression to place his familiar face.

"CONNIE!" she yelled and his whole table jumped in surprise and looked up at the girl who was now launching herself into Connie's arms.

"I..." Connie actually had no idea what to say as he shifted at the last moment so Sasha wouldn't hurt herself on the chair. Instead, he returned the tight embrace and laughed.

"Uh...dude?" Jared said to him after a moment, "Do you know her?"

Sasha tore herself away from Connie and took to sitting on his lap. Honestly, drunk Sasha was the worst kind of Sasha.

"I'm his wife!" she announced proudly and Connie turned bright red. The rest of the table looked absolutely bewildered

"Penpal!" he shouted out suddenly, "We're penpals!"

He stood suddenly, almost causing Sasha to tumble out of his lap, but he caught her in time.

"Excuse us!" he said as he took her hand and dragged her out of the bar. He walked a bit before Sasha shook him off and he turned to her.

"Connie!" she giggled as she hugged him once more, "You found me!"

She reeked of alcohol and cigarette smoke, but he returned the hug and let loose another carefree laugh as he picked her up and swung her around, like they did in the damn romance movies.

"Yer taller than me tae!" she exclaimed once she was set down.

Connie was at a loss for words, just staring at her and he scratched the back of his head.

"Sash, I can't believe it," he finally said.

"I know!" she said jumping up and down, "Ye bald bastard!"

Connie laughed again and cupped her face in his hands, not really caring that she would taste of alcohol, just wanting to kiss the girl he had been trying to find for so long.

But instead, she pulled out of his grip with a pained look and stumbled away before promptly vomiting into some nearby bushes. Connie looked at her wide eyed before he ran over to her and soothingly rubbed her back and held back her hair, ignoring the smell of puke.

After a couple minutes of heaving, Sasha looked up at him.

"I dinna feel tae guid, Connie," she told him.

"You never do," Connie chuckled, "I'll take you home, okay?"

She nodded and he ended up carrying her on his back, walking to where she directed was her house.

"Con?" she muttered against his neck, as he walked down the light up streets of Dingwall.

"What, Sash?"

She didn't say anything for a minute and he thought it was going to be something deep and meaningful.

"Ye smell guid," she said and Connie chuckled again.

"Thanks," he said to her, "Hey, Sash?"

"Hmm?"

"You aren't a pot bam or whatever."

This time Sasha laughed.

"Sure I am, but that makes you one too," she replied.

"I think I can live with that. We can be crazy together."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't tell you how happy I am that I finally got to write some Springles!!! Besides the obvious, they are my favorite pairing, tying closely with JeanMarco (which will have a chapter soon).
> 
> Look me in the eye and tell me that Connie wouldn't be a great anthropologist.
> 
> And just so you know, I researched the shit out of Dingwall and Oscars Sports Bar and someday, I vow to visit there just because I can.
> 
> And...I mean no offense to Scottish people. I only looked up pronunciations to words and I'm not trying to make fun of anybody.


	48. Cheesecake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'm still mad at you about the cheesecake."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday, Jean! Unfortunately, this isn't the JeanMarco chapter, but I hope it will appease you nonetheless.
> 
> Song: [Closer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfHpRe0rRe0) by Nine Inch Nails
> 
> And if any of you know what that song is, then you know exactly what this chapter is about. ^.^

It started as something small. River honestly couldn't remember what it was. Maybe it was Eren leaving his clothes  _right beside the hamper_ and not in it. Maybe it was her nagging Eren about him coming home so late. She didn't know.

But whatever it was, they fought about it. It qualified as their first actual fight and they both went to bed that night in a tense silence that lasted for the next two weeks. Then on, anything that one or the other did pissed each of them off to no end. River would only make dinner for herself, frustrating Eren when he got home from a late shift. Eren would take his dirty shoes off before tracking mud through the house. River would occasionally change the password to the computer that both of them used, even if Eren did use it more since River had her laptop. It was a never ending cycle that lasted until mid-July.

Mrs. Lenz, with nothing better to do, had been baking them various desserts. She had asked Eren's favorite dessert and he had answered that he happened to love cheesecake. River hated it with a passion, so Eren knew that it was completely his.

The newly made cheesecake sat in the fridge and Eren had only eaten one piece of it.

River hadn't slept the entire night, trying to get a draft done before the deadline, or before Steve came pounding on her door, so she was  _not_ in a good mood. She was in the kitchen making probably her twelfth cup of coffee when Eren came in, yawning and scratching at his stomach. He paid no heed to River, since they were still fighting, and opened the fridge. He took a milk jug out of the fridge and unscrewed the cap before he started to lift it to his lips.

"You better fucking use a glass or you are going to regret it," she growled.

Eren's eyes slid over to make eye contact and once he did, he pressed the jug to his lips and drank from it before screwing the cap back on and putting in the fridge. He wiped his mouth and his eyes challenged her.

She calmly walked over to the fridge and opened it. Before Eren could figure out what she was doing, she grabbed the cheesecake out, held the dish upside down and the cheesecake fell to the floor with a  _plop._

She then put the dish back in the fridge and looked at Eren with a slightly satisfied look. 

Eren looked at the cheesecake on the floor before he brought his eyes back up to River, fire in them.

River looked at him stone faced, waiting for him to yell at her, but what he did was a lot more unexpected.

He surged forward and pulled her into a rough kiss. At first she tried to pull away from shock, but then she started to kiss him back just as roughly.

She honestly didn't know what she was doing. She was pissed as hell, and she was sure Eren was as well, but after weeks of pent up tension and anger with each other, this was a welcome release of emotions.

Eren's tongue was in her mouth, trying to take control of the kiss, but she wasn't having any of that and tried to lead the kiss. Eren wasn't giving up so easily and their kiss turned hungry and powerful.

He suddenly lifted her up onto the island in the kitchen and before she could process what was happening, he had already yanked her pants off of her.

"Eren-" she started to say but the name turned into a low moan when she felt Eren's tongue swipe at her clit. She leaned back, supporting herself by her elbows as Eren started to kiss the inside of her thighs, making her quiver with anticipation. He reached up and under her shirt to take one of her breasts in his hand and began to massage as he finally started to bring his tongue to the curve of her womanhood and she began to squirm. He thrust is tongue into her and moved the muscle around, and River threw her head back. 

Eren really knew how to go down on her, which was an accomplishment in itself since he was always used to her having a dick.

His tongue swirled over the sensitive nub and she tried to keep from crying out but when he pushed a finger into her, she moaned once more.

He pumped a few times before adding a second finger, his mouth still warm and wet on her clit, making her feel a number of sensations.

His fingers almost immediately found the bundle of cells that made her cry out even more. She looked down at him to find him watching her with a satisfied expression in his eyes and she realized that he wanted to see her come undone. He wanted to see her vulnerable for a moment as payback for his fucking cheesecake.

She tried to find in herself to resist the feeling of him teasing that sensitive nub and brushing over her g-spot in just the right way, but it felt so damn good and he hadn't even stopped once to catch his breath or anything. Her hand wandered down to his hair as her toes curled and uncurled. She was becoming a writhing mess, breath hitching as Eren continued to fuck her with his fingers.

"Eren...Fuck," she said between pants, "You're such a fucking shit."

His fingers curled in such a way that they hit the cells in just the right way and River arched her back and almost shouted at just how good it felt. Eren was pumping his fingers faster and he was still going down on her like a fucking champ. River knew she was closer than she would like to admit and her fingers tightened in Eren's hair and before she knew it, she was cumming, legs trembling and Eren's name on her lips.

She didn't realize how sweaty she was until she laid flat on her back with her arm over her face as she tried to recover. Eren, however, wasn't having any of that.

River heard something tear and she brought her arm away from her face and saw Eren putting on a condom. He was already naked in front of her, somehow having removed his clothing with lightning speed.

"Where did you-" she started to ask, but Eren bent over her and wrapped his arms around her and brought her to a sitting position. He pulled her shirt off quickly, already knowing she didn't have a bra on.

"Eren, you fucktard," Rive spat and she forcefully pulled Eren towards her and caught him in a harsh kiss. She could still taste herself on his tongue and he seemed surprised by the kiss, which was exactly what she had been going for, but he quickly recovered and he pulled her off the counter. She had just enough time to wrap her legs around him before he slowly pushed into her.

"Gah!" River broke the kiss with a gasp and clung to Eren, nails digging into his back.

"You've been pissing me off for the past couple weeks, Levi, and I've had enough," Eren growled and he pulled out before he thrust up into her.

"It was probably...your fault, Brat," River said as Eren shoved into her again.

"Fuck you," he spat and suddenly, River was slammed up against a wall.

"You already are," she bit out but then he plunged into her so forcefully that she cried out before she bit his shoulder.

He was filling her up, moans spilling out of his mouth as he continued to thrust into her.

"C'mon, Eren, I know you've got more than that, you shit. If you are going to fuck me, you better do it right or I will never let you live it down," she said and Eren nipped at her bottom lip.

"There are some moments that I really hate you, Levi," Eren hissed.

She was about to respond, but Eren took the opportunity and started pounding into her full force, filling her up completely, impaling her to her core. The slap of skin was echoing in her ears and she could help but let out an loud gasp as Eren treated her even rougher than before.

"What's the matter? Cat got y-your tongue?" Eren said as he continued his efforts, slamming his cock into her as she tried to catch her breath.

She wanted to respond with something sarcastic, but she couldn't find it in her to do so.

"More, fuck, Eren,  _harder._ "

Eren happily obliged, burying his cock into her and continuing to make her pant and tremble as she begged for more. Eren adjusted himself slightly so he was hitting her sweet spot and she started to cry out louder, the pleasure overwhelming her. Feeling him slide in and out of her was making her breathless and he was getting her so close  _again_ and she could barely handle it.

"Eren-"

"I'm going to fuck you until you can't walk, Levi," he hissed into River's ear and the sound of him being so assertive made her lose her mind, "I'm going to make it so that all you can remember is my name and you legs will feel like jelly. I'm going to make you feel  _alive_."

Her mind was fuzzy and she couldn't believe that she was letting Eren make her feel this way. She was supposed to be pissed at him, but here they were, banging in the kitchen like sex deprived maniacs.

He kept hitting her sweet spot over and over and if that wasn't enough, he brought a single hand down to rub at her clit again.

"FUCK!" she yelled out and she threw her head back, making it hit the wall.

She was going to come again and she couldn't stop it. All she could do was yell Eren's name as she dug her nails into his back. She could see nothing but white for a moment as Eren continued to fuck her through her second orgasm. They were both sweaty and sliding against each other but River loved every minute of it, despite how unclean it was.

She expected Eren to come just after she had, but Eren continued thrusting into her. She was even more sensitive after reaching her second peak and she didn't think she could handle all the stimulation.

"Eren...I-I c-can't-"

"I think you can," he purred and suddenly she wasn't against the wall anymore. She didn't even realize they were moving at first until she heard a door open and she figured out that they were in the first guest bedroom. No sooner had that occurred to her, she was lying on her back, Eren never separated from her.

He threw one of her legs over his shoulder and leaned over her, her own leg almost touching her chest. It was then that he began to pound into her just as forcefully as before, but with a quicker pace than before.

"P-please..." she begged as she struggled to breath. The sensation was so raw and somewhat painful but it felt  _so good_. 

She wasn't able to think and could only stare into the brilliant green eyes of the man she loved as he continued to invade her, filling her up and making her feel a variety of thrills in her body. Fuck, she couldn't feel her legs.

She reached up above her and grabbed the headboard, tears leaking out of her eyes at all the wonderful and terrible things her body was feeling.

Eren leaned forward and started sucking on her neck and she cried out, no intelligible words this time. Eren was showing no mercy on her and she couldn't think straight.

"'Ren...I can't...I can't handle this," she choked out and Eren only continued to thrust into her harder and faster, brushing over her g-spot yet again.

She was writhing and moaning and crying, wanting release yet again even though she had already gotten it twice. She kept shouting out, Eren continuing to push into her at just the right angle but she could tell from his strokes, that he was nearing completion as well. 

Eren was saying something to her but she couldn't register it and then her back arched off the bed and she  _screamed_ as her orgasm hit her yet again and Eren thrust in once more before he came as well, with the name 'Levi' on his lips.

River's arms fell limply away from the headboard and she felt Eren pull out of her and take off the condom before tying it up and throwing away. He then lied back in bed, breathing as heavily as her. 

River felt the need for a cigarette right then, even though she didn't smoke at all.

They both struggled to regain their breath and then the reality of what just happened came crashing down on them.

"You...fucker," River said, but it was with a breathy laugh. Her mind was still fried and she was suddenly very thirsty and tired.

"I'm still mad at you about the cheesecake," Eren huffed.

"I'll...make...one," she said, not sure why her words weren't connecting the way she wanted them too. She felt limp and as if she didn't want to move for the next three thousand years.

Eren rolled towards her and seemed to realize something.

"Shit, you are probably pretty thirsty," he said, getting up but River managed to catch his arm.

"No," she whined, "Stay. Please."

Eren pursed his lips and River knew that being a doctor, she needed hydration, but being her lover, he wanted to stay.

"You need water," he insisted.

"Please," she said softly, her eyes fluttering shut. 

The last thing she felt was the bed dipping again and Eren's arms around her before she fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...that's an attempt at smut. I'm getting better I think. :3
> 
> And who doesn't like angry make up sex? I've actually had this chapter planned for a while but I haven't felt confident enough to write it until now. Hope it was up to par!
> 
> So, go ahead and tell me what you think! I love all your comments. :D


	49. Shirt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Y-you're crying, Jean."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy with this chapter!  
>  **IMPORTANT!!**  
>  It was heavily influenced by this [JeanMarco](http://miyajimamizy.tumblr.com/post/66551831359/happy-song-makes-me-happy-but-dorky-boyfriends) art as well. I just really love that piece <3
> 
> In fact, go check out all of their artwork because they are seriously my favorite JeanMarco artist.
> 
> And because I'm a total copycat, the song is [Road to You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHsuWngZthc) by Five for Fighting.

It was fucking hot. How did people even live in a place like this. Not only was it hot, but he felt like he was drowning from all the humidity in the air. And he was sunburnt. Fucking sunburnt. Not only that, but mosquitoes seemed to love him and he was covered in bites that he had the hardest time _not_ itching. 

Why was he here in the pits of hell? Oh that's right, he was trying to find him.

Jean wiped sweat from his forehead and continued to follow his annoying family through the crowd, babbling on about going on another ride. It was fucking lucky that he even had family in Florida. His mom had been thrilled that he had wanted to visit his family in America, although his reasoning hadn't been exactly to visit family. No, he was trying to find Marco. Fucking Marco. He hoped he appreciated what Jean was going through to find him. Sweltering heat and family that wouldn't let him go anywhere alone, even though he was twenty one and more than able to take care of himself.

"You aren't familiar with the U.S. of A, so you should probably stay close to us," his aunt said.

Fucking Americans. He wasn't an idiot.

Still, here he was, at a county fair, listening to his cousins squabbling over whether to eat something or go another ride while his aunt and uncle screamed at them to stop yelling. Jean sighed boredly, wishing he was anywhere but here.

Hanji had told Jean that it would be pointless to even try to contact Marco since he didn't remember had refused to even tell Jean where the freckled male was, much to his irritation. However, he had managed to get it out of Eren. He could be an irritating bastard when he wanted to be, but he also could be nice when he wanted to be. Not that Jean would ever tell him that.

"Jean, we are going on that," his uncle said to him, pointing to ride that read 'ULTRAMAX' on the side of it, "You wanna go?"

"We can't all go," one of his cousins said, "There's five of us and only four seats on a gondola."

"I'll wait here," Jean said, not really wanting to ride, "I'll get something cold to drink too."

His uncle nodded and gave him some money and off his family went to wait in the line. 

Jean immediately headed off, ready to get something cold and find a shady place to hide. When his family was ready to leave, he knew they would call his cellphone.

"C'est des conneries," Jean muttered.

He got himself a drink as well as some flavored ice before he actually managed to find a cluster of palm trees that didn't have anybody sitting underneath them and it was far enough away from the attractions that it would be comfortable. It was a little close to the barns, but Jean didn't really care.

He sat down and ate the rest of his flavored ice and drank his soda before he leaned against the tree and closed his eyes. This was the first time he had actually managed to get away from his family and it was relatively peaceful, even if it was still hot as balls out.

He was just about to doze off when he heard a slight scuffling noise and he cracked one eye open. Standing in front of him was a freckled girl not more than eight years old.

"Uh...hello?" Jean said and the girl looked shyly at him before she pointed to his shirt.

He looked down, expecting to see a stain, but only saw the Survey Corps symbol on the upper right side. He bought it when he had first seen it, knowing what it truly meant, but obviously the girl thought it was from River's book that was becoming a movie.

"Aw, yeah," Jean said, "You like it? I'm a big fan of the books. Although...you look a little too young to be reading that sort of shi-stuff."

The girl looked at him blankly and then shook her head and started to move her hands rapidly. Jean automatically recognized it as sign language.

"Woah, woah," Jean said, holding up his hands, "Hold on a second."

He pulled out his phone and typed in a message.

_Are you deaf?_

The girl took the phone and looked relieved when he understood and nodded while typing her response back.

_yes im lost to can you help please?_

Jean looked at her and wondered why on earth she would approach a strange man with no people around and tell him she's lost. Didn't her parents ever teacher her to stay away from strangers?

Jean nodded and pocketed his phone, grabbing his garbage to throw away. He knew from his aunt and uncle that there was a main office that you could go to if you had any questions and they had an intercom system. He figured that if they headed there, it was a good chance of finding her family and then he could go back to hiding from his own.

Along the way, the girl grabbed onto Jean's hand and held tightly onto it, humming tunelessly as she swung her arms. She was far too carefree for being lost and for all she knew, he could kidnap her. Her parents really needed to teach her this stuff.

They got to the main office and there was a woman behind a desk, smiling as they came in. A blast of cool air thankfully greeted them.

"Can I help you?" she asked way to pleasantly for this damn heat.

"Oui," Jean said and then he corrected himself, "Yes. This little girl is lost."

The woman's gaze turned concerned as she looked at the girl.

"You're lost?" she asked, "Well, if you-"

"Ma'am," Jean interrupted, "She's deaf."

The woman looked surprised for a moment before she stood up.

"That's alright. I happen to know sign language."

She started rapidly signing to the girl and the girl signed back, Jean completely lost as to what they were talking about. They continued this for a bit until the girl finally signed something and shook her head before grasping Jean's hand again.

The woman looked surprised but then looked up at Jean.

"I asked her name and what her parent's names where and then told her that I have to go to the back to make the announcement that she is here," she told him, "I told her that she could come back with me so you could leave, but she wants to stay here with you."

Jean looked down at the girl and shrugged. He didn't really have any better place to be and this place was air conditioned.

"Okay," he responded, "I will wait here then."

The woman looked a little wary of leaving the girl with him, but then seemed to come to the realization that since he brought her here, he wasn't going to run off with her and went to the back. He could hear the muffled announcement being made, but he couldn't hear through the walls and wasn't particularly paying attention.

He pulled out his phone again.

_What is your name?_

He felt awkward just standing there so he decided to make a conversation as best as he could.

_madeline_

Jean complimented her on her name and she smiled. He wasn't exactly sure how to carry on conversations with children, but he figured he could try.

He then decided to ask her the question that was plaguing his mind.

_Why did you come to me? Didn't your mom or dad teach you not to talk to strangers._

The girl looked at him and gave a sort of half smile that looked vaguely familiar and it made Jean's skin prickle.

_my mom died. but you have the same shirt as my dad. thats why_

Jean felt bad that the freckled girl didn't have a mother, but Jean noticed that she still seemed to be happy with just her dad, which meant that the guy must have been doing something right.

But what the fuck? She had come to him because her dad had the same fucking shirt? Did she realize that it came from a popular movie franchise in normal people's eyes? She was just lucky that it had been Jean and not some other creep.

_Listen, Madeline, while it's good to ask for help, you should ask a police officer next time. A lot of people could wear these shirts and hurt you._

She looked confused for a second before she typed in her response.

_but dady said the recon corps was like the police._

Jean stared at the text before he looked down at her.

"Wait, what?"

The woman came out of the back room and looked over at the little girl.

"Well, Miss Bodt, your father called and he is on his way over right now," she said as she signed the message to the small freckled girl.

"Wait...WHAT?" 

At that moment, the door burst open and a tall, black haired man rushed in. The girl let go of Jean's hand and rushed over to him.

And Jean felt like the air in the room had been suctioned out.

"Madeline!" the freckled man said, crouching down to hug his daughter, "I was so worried."

He started frantically signing to her, probably asking her if she was alright, where she had been, etc.; the typical worried parent questions.

Jean however, still couldn't move or breath.

She started signing back to him and her father turned confused as he looked up at Jean, revealing his full face.

"Same shirt as me...?" he trailed off and he stood and looked at Jean.

Marco fucking Bodt. In the flesh. Alive and not sickly gray and half eaten from when he last saw him. Alive and healthy with a daughter.

"Y-you're crying, Jean," Marco said quietly and Jean realized that he was right as he raised a hand to his face.

He also realized that Marco had said his name. That didn't make any sense. Hanji had specifically told him that he didn't remember. 

Jean crossed over and took Marco's shirt in his fists and opened his mouth to say something, but no sound came out. Marco actually had the fucking balls to smile. As if this was completely expected.

Jean put a hand up to Marco's face, realizing that he was blushing and Jean probably was too. Jean forgot about the woman in the office and Marco's apparent daughter, drinking in the sight of the the most important person to him who he had lost but had now found again.

"What is it, Jean?" Marco asked, and it was clear that he was teasing the shorter man.

"You!" Jean spat out and had some trouble getting his words out and was trying desperately not to cry but it wasn't until Marco threw his arms around him that Jean didn't fight it. Manly tears, of course.

"You jerk!" Jean cried and Marco only chuckled.

"I've missed you too," the other man replied and it was only then that Jean wrapped his arms around him.

"You bastard. You-"

Someone tugged on both of their shirts and they both broke apart and looked down to see Madeline, looking happy, but confused.

She asked her father something and Marco smiled widely and answered her before taking Jean's hand.

"How would you like to have dinner with us?"

Jean scrubbed his embarrassing tears away and noticed that Marco had cried a little too.

"Dinner sounds fantastic."

* * *

" _And then, he told me that he remembered at his daughter's seventh birthday party, and then-_ "

"Jean," Eren interrupted, "I'm really happy for you, but I would like to talk to him too, you know."

" _Oh, right, well, he gave me his number and shit but I'm not sure what that means..._ "

"Oh, fuck..." Eren breathed, "Horseface, you know exactly what it means. Stop being a pussy and just call him. Go on dates. Bond with his daughter. Fuck him."

There was spluttering on the other line before Jean started yelling and Eren held the phone away from his ear, smirking. Cook shifted at the end of the bed and River muttered a sleepy "Go the fuck to sleep."

"Listen, as great as this all is, can we talk about it when it's not two a clock in the fucking morning," Eren said, "But I'm serious, I wanna talk to him too. We've all missed him."

Jean was quiet for a moment before he said, " _Sure, Jaeger...and...thanks._ "

"You fucking weirdo. I didn't do anything," Eren yawned, "Now goodnight."

He hung up the phone and flopped into bed, his face in his pillow grinning to himself. Everyone was coming together, and it was nice.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at those stupid babies. Aaaahhh, I'm so happy now that I've written Springles and JeanMarco now. The fic is done. Everyone go home.
> 
> I'm just kidding because there is still a ton more shit to write.
> 
> Hope you liked it!


	50. Dress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Unconditionally](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjwZAa2EjKA) by Katy Perry

"So, what do you want your bridal party colors to be?"

River blinked at Petra with a blank look on her face.

Petra, River, and Hanji had all gone out to lunch to just "talk" and have "girl time". River wasn't really one for either, but it was nice to go out with old friends. Petra was due anytime now and looked as if she was ready to burst, but River had to admit that pregnancy suited her well. She was having a nice time. Until they started asking her questions she hadn't even begun to think about.

"...Have you thought about a venue?" Hanji asked as she put a mouthful of salad into her mouth.

"Uh..."

"Wedding dress?" Petra inquired.

"Floral arrangements?" Hanji added.

"Wedding invitations?"

"Catering?"

"Bridesmaids?"

"Engagement pictures?"

Although they were asking very relevant questions, River couldn't help but feel like she was drowning. There was so much planning that went into a wedding and she couldn't comprehend how it was done. She shouldn't have waited this long to do it, but it all seemed rather daunting.

"Ah," Hanji said, snapping her fingers, "I get it. You're nervous."

"I most certainly am fucking not," River snapped and Petra giggled.

"You think you are nervous now," the pregnant woman said, "Just wait until you walk down the aisle."

"I'm not nervous!"

"On edge then," Hanji compromised and River shot her a glare.

"It's just..." River started before vaguely waving her hand, "There is a lot of shit to plan and I get this weird feeling in my chest whenever I think about it."

Petra and Hanji exchanged a look before they turned back to the raven haired woman with mischievous looks.

"Is...this the same feeling you had when you first started having feelings for Eren?" Petra said shrewdly, "Because I seem to remember you coming to me and thinking that you had a heart condition."

"No, it's-"

But River stopped and thought about the time when she had felt that first pang in her chest. Eren was being his usual idiotic self. In all honesty, he didn't do anything any differently than he usually did. She had come into the room to tell him that he did a shitty job cleaning and he assured her he would do it over again right away before saluting and running off to accomplish the task. He had been doing his duty as a soldier, but she had felt that weird feeling then. And it continued until she had asked Petra about it.

"But that doesn't make any sense," River countered, "I'm already in love with Eren."

"Just because you are together doesn't mean that those fluffy feelings are going to stop," Hanji said, leaning back in her chair, "You know, you write good romance into your novels but you really have no clue about it yourself, despite being head over heels in love."

"Shut the fuck up," River grumbled.

"Oh! I know!" Petra said, clapping her hands together, "We should go wedding dress shopping! Today!"

"Perfect!" Hanji agreed enthusiastically, "As your bridesmaids, it's our duty to be there!"

"Who said you were my bridesmaids?" River asked grumpily.

They just grinned and laughed, knowing that there was no bite behind River's words.

* * *

River didn't know why she was indulging them. Well, if she was honest, she was enjoying this too. Even if they had been there for three hours and still hadn't found the perfect dress. 

Hanji had thought a ball gown dress would be perfect for her but River had felt that she was drowning in it. They tried some shorter dresses but River didn't like any of the styles and even Petra agreed that it didn't really fit her at all.

There was a woman there who helped River try to figure out which dress would be best for her. She knew that she was being awfully picky for not knowing what the hell she wanted but this was her wedding and damn it if she wasn't going to have the perfect dress.

At one point, River had on a mermaid tail dress and everyone agreed that it looked fabulous on her but Hanji seemed to notice her discomfort.

"What is it? Do you not like it?"

River shrugged and looked at herself in the mirror. She did look good in it and it was comfortable, but she wasn't sure if she liked it all that much.

"It feels...too modern?" River was unsure if that was the word, "Fuck, I don't know."

The sales woman perked up and smiled.

"Go ahead and take that off," she said over her shoulder as she disappeared, "I think I have the perfect dress for you."

River looked over at the other two before going to change out of her dress for what seemed like the hundredth time. Soon enough, the woman brought back another dress.

"Here you go," she said with twinkling eyes, "I'm sure you will love this one."

River took the dress and looked at it, not really sure if she would like at all. Regardless, she put it on with help from the sales woman and then turned to look at herself in the mirror.

It was a tulle trumpet wedding dress with illusion off the shoulder neckline and it had lace overlay. The flowers on the sheer fabric over top of the solid fabric were pretty and noticeable, but with an understated beauty that made River's curves prominent in the right places.

She instantly fell in love with the dress.

"This is it," she said, putting a hand on her stomach to feel the fabric, "This is the dress."

The woman smiled widely.

"I knew it would be. You look beautiful in it! Now let's go show your friends."

River hesitantly made her way out to the viewing area where Hanji and Petra waited. Both of them gasped when they saw River.

"That's it!" Hanji said jumping up from her seat, "Fuck, Levi you look like a million bucks in that dress."

Petra smiled and nodded earnestly.

"Really, it looks better than anything you've put on so far."

"Do you like it?" Hanji asked and River turned back to the mirror to look at herself.

"I do," she said quietly, "I like it a lot."

Petra and Hanji squealed and River couldn't help but smile a little at their excitement. She finally had a wedding dress. It was one step out of a million.

Petra was suddenly behind her, looking into the mirror at River's eyes.

"It's okay to be excited, you know," she said softly and River looked down before she lifted her left hand up. Here she was, wearing a wedding dress and an engagement ring. That weird feeling arose in her again and she didn't know how to contain it so she laughed.

"I'm getting married," she said happily, her smile completely changing her face from its normally stoic and blank look to one of true beauty. "I'm getting married to Eren Jaeger."

Petra squeezed her from behind and Hanji came over to clap her on the back.

"Glad you figured out his name," Hanji said, "It would have been awkward if you said the wrong name during the vows. Kinda like what Ross did in Friends."

"Hanji?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut the fuck up and let me enjoy this moment."

Hanji smiled softly at River admiring the dress in the mirror. She really was going to make a beautiful bride.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [River's dress](http://www.davidsbridal.com/Product_Tulle-Trumpet-Wedding-Gown-with-Illusion-Neckline-SWG561_Bridal-Gowns-Shop-By-Trend-Vintage-Inspired%22).
> 
> I did a lot of digging and figured that this would be the best dress for River.
> 
> So AAAAAHHHH! Wedding is coming up and there is still a lot of shit to do before hand. Here we go.
> 
> I am doing a [podfic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1455352/chapters/3064750) for [The 6th Ward](http://archiveofourown.org/works/982565/chapters/1935325) as well! Check it out. It really is a beautiful piece of literature and I'm super excited about this project.


	51. Shrek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The series is pretty good. Except the third one. That was shit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [All Star](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdt03OgLpWo) by Smash Mouth.
> 
> Cue obligatory Shrek chapter.

Krista and Ymir  _did_ have every intention of coming back after six weeks, but when they got a call from Connie saying that he was back in the States, this time with Sasha in tow, they decided to extend their trip by a week.

"I'm already in enough trouble anyway," Krista shrugged, and because Ymir was a pushover when it came to her girlfriend, she agreed.

Connie gave them address and off they were.

Krista could now safely walk on her cast, even though Ymir disapproved of it, insisting that she use her crutches, but Krista hated them, so she disregarded Ymir's pleas.

They heard them before they even saw them and Ymir paused with her fist raised at the door.

"Should we come back?" She asked hesitantly but then the door opened anyway and Sasha was standing there with a muffin in her mouth and a whole basket full of them.

"Damn it, Sasha! Give them back!"

"Ymir and Krista are here!" she called with her mouth full before pulling both of them into a huge hug. 

Krista had to admit that Sasha's accent was adorable. Not as cute as Ymir's of course, but it did fit the brunette girl.

"It's good to see ya!" she said just as Connie appeared, looking a bit angry.

"Those were from my mother!"

Sasha hissed at him and somehow managed to climb onto Ymir's back and held the basket above her head.

"Get the fuck off me!" Ymir yelled, annoyed. It had barely been five seconds and the two were already fucking with her.

"I'm sure yer mum will be more than happy fer you ta share!" She said, stuffing one into her mouth, "Mmmf. Thar so good!"

Connie sighed and looked at his two friends, seeing for the first time in what seemed like ages.  And well, it had been.

"Woah, what happened to your foot?" Connie asked, seeing the cast.

"Stupid," Ymir said, "Some idiot broke it. And hello to you too."

Krista smiled kindly and took Ymir's hand.

"Hey, Connie, can we come in?"

"Oh, yeah! Fuck, I'm sorry. Welcome to my humble abode," he said stepping aside, "It's not much, but at least I don't have to stay in the dorms."

Krista and Ymir walked into the apartment, Sasha still on Ymir's back singing happily about muffins.

"You don't go home for the summer?" Krista asked.

Connie shrugged. "Considering that home is about five minutes from here and I see my family almost everyday anyway, no."

Shrek was playing on the TV and Ymir raised an eyebrow.

"Really? Shrek?" she asked incredulously.

"Hey, don't rip on the green man," Connie defended, "The series is pretty good. Except the third one. That was shit."

"Shrek is love. Shrek is life," Sasha hissed into Ymir's ear and Krista couldn't help but giggle at the completely disturbed look on Ymir's face.

"What the fuck, Sasha?! Get off my back. Literally!"

"It's not ogre," Sasha whispered before she slid off the freckled woman's back and started walking towards the kitchen.

"Don't eat another one! I want those to actually last for the week!" Connie said to her retreating back.

"Yeah, yeah, ya bastard," she said simply.

"Good to see things haven't changed," Krista smiled, "Well, I guess they have, but in a good way."

"Of course they have, Your Majesty," Connie said with an exaggerated bow and Ymir rolled her eyes.

"Oi, Baldie!" Sasha came back with an envelope, "I forgot to tell ya that ya got a letter form New York today."

That left the rest of them in the room confused and Connie took the envelope and opened it.

"It's from Hanji," Connie said, pulling a post card sized piece of paper from the envelope before he read it and widened his eyes.

"What is it it?" Krista said, edging closer to see.

"It's an invitation," Sasha said, reading over Connie's shoulder.

"An invitation to what?" Ymir asked, wondering what Hanji would be inviting them to.

"It says that she's found pretty much everyone one from our past lives and that she is holding a party the tenth of December and inviting them to her home as a reunion," Connie answered before looking up, "Woah."

Krista sucked in a breath.

Woah indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, if I could draw well, I would totally draw Ymir being freaked out by Sasha on her back eating muffins and saying weird things. Maybe because it's late, but I was cracking up so badly.
> 
> My friend actually showed me the [Shrek is Love, Shrek is Life](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48hehsqhIoA) video and it's pretty much the most disturbing thing I've ever seen and I just started watching Game of Thrones, so that's saying something. 
> 
> And I know there are like a bajillion fics out there that have Shrek references, but they always crack me up every time.
> 
> In other news, the plot is moving along...sorta. This wasn't really supposed to have a plot, but look at that, it does.


	52. Then Comes Baby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sure, she knew that Eren wanted kids, but it wasn't something that she had thought about too hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter here.   
> Song: [Lean on Me](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CQEZeCBFjE) sung by the Summertime Gospel Choir

"She's so cute."

"She looks just like you."

"She seems to have her father's attitude though."

"She looks like a shriveled monkey."

Everyone turned to look at River.

"Uh...River," Eren said, trying hard to look serious, "You don't say that about people's babies."

"Well, how can you tell that she looks like anything right now? She's all wrinkly and red faced," River protested and for a moment, Petra looked offended before she giggled.

"Leave it to you to have no tact, Captain," she said smiling and everyone seemed to relax.

Overall, Petra hadn't had a very long labor. There were no complications at all and Auruo had cried and bit his tongue several times before he finally got to see his daughter. He was holding her now, and it was apparent to everyone that she was going to be treated like a princess. Ever since Hanji, Eren, and River had been in the room, Auruo had been holding her.

"What's her name?"

"Rio Leigh," Petra and Auruo answered at the same time.

Auruo looked as if he couldn't believe that he had managed to luck out on actually becoming a father and River was surprised that he hadn't bit his tongue again.

Petra looked at Eren and River for a moment before looking over to Auruo for some sort of confirmation.

Then, she cleared her throat.

"Um, Levi, Eren," she said meekly, "We probably should have asked you a lot sooner, but...we would like you two to be the godparents."

River looked at her in stunned silence and Eren seemed to be having the same reaction.

"...Seriously?" River said after and extended pause, "You know I'm shit with kids, right?"

"No swearing in front of Rio!" Petra scolded but Auruo just shook his head.

"You aren't sh-bad with kids," Auruo objected, "We've thought a lot about it and we want you to be her godparents. There is nobody else would would rather have."

River was shocked to say the least and somewhat confused. It was a huge honor, but it was also somewhat intimidating. She never thought she would be a good parental figure for anything. Sure, she knew that Eren wanted kids, but it wasn't something that she had thought about too hard. And now, Petra and Auruo wanted them to be godparents. Maybe River was blowing this completely out of proportion, but it still was rather daunting.

She looked over at Eren and they held a silent conversation for a moment before Eren smiled before turning back to the new parents.

"We would love to," he answered excitedly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I bet you thought River was pregnant at first_
> 
> It's been fucking forever since I have updated and I'm so sorry.   
> In other news, if you have prompt you wanna see in the story, go ahead and leave it in the comments. I may use it if it fits in with the vague plot I have going on. Just as long as its realistic XD  
> Sorry about such a short chapter here. :3 Have a great week you guys!


	53. Bed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1\. She was homeless and had sneaked in here (possible, but not very realistic).  
> 2\. His friends had ordered a prostitute for him (unlikely, as nobody but him had the key to the hotel room and she was sleeping and not trying to seduce him).  
> 3\. The hotel booked them the same room (most likely the answer).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I got great feedback as to what you want to see in this story, and I loved them all! You guys asked for it, and here it is. The first meeting of Hanji and Erwin!
> 
> Song: [Glad You Came](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ggzxInyzVE) by The Wanted

_August 5, 2008_

There was a half naked woman in his bed and Erwin was confused.

She definitely had not been there before he had taken advantage of the hotel's shower, but now, here she was, snoring away despite it being nine in the morning, clothess strewn about like she actually belonged there.

Erwin ran some theories in his head.

  1. She was homeless and had sneaked in here (possible, but not very realistic).
  2. His friends had ordered a prostitute for him (unlikely, as nobody but him had the key to the hotel room and she was sleeping and not trying to seduce him).
  3. The hotel booked them the same room (most likely the answer).



Erwin took a moment to compose himself before he cleared his throat and said, "Excuse me, Ma'am."

The woman didn't stir and Erwin repeated himself.

This time, the woman groaned into her pillow before saying some muffled words that Erwin couldn't quite understand before turning her head and opening a single eye to look at him. She stared at him for a moment before she sat up suddenly, fumbling around on the nightstand for her glasses and putting them on. Her hair was a mess and all she had on was a bra and underwear, so Erwin did his best not to stare.

"Holy shit," the woman said, "I'm either dead or dreaming."

"Um..."

It wasn't often that Erwin was at a loss for words, but he wasn't exactly sure how to answer that. 

The woman suddenly looked uncertain and asked her next question slowly.

"Do...you know who I am?"

Erwin looked at her as if she was crazy. Maybe he had memory loss and he really had her as a wife. However, he was pretty sure he would remember being married to someone this attractive. Plus, he had no physical trauma that would have caused him to forget.

"I'm afraid not, ma'am," Erwin replied and the woman looked so disappointed, that he felt like he was watching her heart break.

After a moment though, she let out a laugh that sounded real enough, but for some reason, Erwin knew it was fake.

"Of course you don't," she replied cheerily, "I was just wondering why you were in my room."

"Ah, well," Erwin started, "This was supposed to be my room. I went to take a shower before I started my day when I found you in my bed."

The brown haired woman looked perplexed for a moment before shrugging.

"They must have booked us the same room then," she said simply before standing up. Erwin averted his eyes and the woman seemed to remember what she was wearing.

"Oh, right! Modesty," she said as if she had forgotten to water a plant.

Erwin heard the rustle of clothes and knew that she was putting some on and didn't look until she said she was presentable. When he looked back at her, she was looking at him with piercing eyes, as if she were looking for an answer that Erwin could give.

"Is there something wrong?" Erwin asked her and she seemed to snap out of her daze.

"Of course not," she answered before grabbing her room key off the bedside table, "Let's go get this whole deal sorted out."

Erwin nodded and followed her out and into the elevator. The ride down was a bit uncomfortable, mostly because it seemed as if she wanted to say something to him the entire time, but she wouldn't.

She looked familiar to him in a vague sort of way. He couldn't figure out where he would have known her from. She had asked if he knew who she was, almost as if he should have known her and it was bothering him.

The finally reached the front desk with a peppy looking man standing on the other side.

"Heeeyoo!" the woman said happily, "Seems like there might be a bit of a mix up. This guy and I got the same room for whatever reason."

The woman seemed to be far too excited about the mix up, but the man looked relieved that neither him nor the woman seemed particularly upset. He assured the both of them that he would look into it with the hotel manager and that he would be right back.

"So," Erwin said after a few minutes of the woman just staring at him, "Why were you sleeping after just having gotten into the hotel room?"

"I'm from Arizona, so I had a bit of jetlag," she answered simply enough, "What about you? On the way out, I saw a tux hanging in the closet. Whatcha doing in N.Y.C?"

Erwin smiled gently.

"I have a campaign party tonight," he answered, "I'm planning on moving into the city, but I haven't found a place yet."

Her eyebrows shot up and she let out a laugh before she composed herself.

"What's so funny?" Erwin asked, but she just shook her head.

"Nothing, just fate I think," she replied before the receptionist came back.

"Alright, I'm sorry for the confusion," he said, "But it seems as if Mr. Smith has room 805 as opposed to 806. Somewhere, there was an error and we apologize for the inconvenience this has caused."

"Oh, no inconvenience at all," the woman smiled and Erwin wondered if she was just being nice or if she was being genuine. He usually had a better read on people than this. It was what made him such a great politician. 

"We'll send someone up to move your things to the correct room, Mr. Smith," the man said, "As compensation, you both get half off during your night here."

This sounded more than fair to Erwin and the woman didn't complain either. After a few more minutes, both of them were on their way back to his-or rather- her room.

"I'm sorry about this," he said as he packed up his stuff. Or rather, what little stuff he had unpacked.

"It's no problem! First man I've had in my room in years. It was quite exciting," she said in a chipper tone, "Oh! I can buy more rats with the money I've saved on this mistake!"

Erwin just fixed her with a puzzled look before she laughed and explained.

"I'm a scientist, you see. Working on cancer research, although, I've recently been taking a break to study memories."

"Memories? That's quite a bit different from cancer research," Erwin said, zipping up his bag and retrieving his tuxedo, "Why memories?"

"I've had a bit of an epiphany and decided to follow that," she said vaguely and Erwin turned to see her looking at him closely. Her eyes, which had been so warm and cheerful just a moment ago, where now intense, focused, and calculating. She looked at him as if he were a puzzle to solve.

"Something wrong?" he asked after a moment.

Her expression shifted back and she smiled and shook her head.

"Nah, quite the contrary," she answered.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, despite the circumstances," Erwin said politely as he opened the door and stepped out, "Have a nice day, Ma'am."

"See you later, Erwin," the woman replied just as he shut the door and it wasn't until he was situated in his own room that he realized that he had never told her his first name.

* * *

Erwin didn't particularly like these parties, but they got him the money he needed to run, so he put on his most charming smile and attitude and buttered up the guests as well as he could. He didn't know half the people there, but they loved a good party and would usually support him after his speech. 

His speech did bring in quite a bit of money, but it wasn't until his assistant came running up to him, that his night took a turn for the better.

"Sir," the younger man, Kevin, started with wide eyes.

"Erwin," he corrected.

"...Erwin," Kevin said slowly before he got to his point, "You received a pretty sizable donation from a woman named Zoe Hanji."

"I receive lots of donations," Erwin said slowly, "And I thank every one of them personally. Why are you so worked up about it?"

Kevin shoved his clipboard into Erwin's hands and Erwin looked down the list of names before he found the one that Kevin was talking about. His eyes widened considerably and he looked up at his assistant. He knew there were rich people here, but usually, they only gave the bare minimum. 

"Where is she? I will thank her immediately," Erwin asked.

"Over by the bar," Kevin answered, pointing over to the private bar. Erwin gave the clipboard back to the younger man and walked purposefully to the brown haired woman in the turquoise dress.

"Excuse me," he said in a strong voice and he watched as the woman turned around with a martini in her hand.

His eyes widened for a brief moment as he recognized her. Her hair was definitely prettier curled and done up than it was this morning, a rat's nest with that 'just got out of bed' look and she wasn't wearing any glasses and had make up on, but it was definitely the woman he had found in bed this morning.

"Oh! Hello!" she said, smiling widely, "Fancy seeing you here."

"So, that's how you knew my name," Erwin said.

"Sure," the woman replied, taking a sip of her drink, "That's exactly how."

Something about her response didn't sit well with him, but he moved past it.

"I recall you saying something about fate this morning," he said, "You knew you were coming to my campaign party the minute I mentioned it. But why is a scientist from Arizona coming to a campaign party for someone who is running for the New York senate."

"A friend invited me," she said simply, swirling her drink around, "Never thought I would meet you at the hotel or here."

He nodded, but then remembered what he had come for.

"Miss Hanji-"

"Just Hanji is fine," she smiled, but it seemed a little sad.

"Hanji then," Erwin said, not remarking on how she preferred to be addressed by her last name, "I wanted to thank you for you donation from the bottom of my heart. I-"

"Oh, you don't have to waste words on me," Hanji waved at him, "I already know how much you appreciate it. Saying it in such unnatural language just takes away from the sincerity."

Erwin raised his eyebrows but then let out a hearty laugh. People stared over in their direction before going back to their own conversations.

"Why so much though?" he asked, sobering himself.

She contemplated for a moment before taking a drink.

"I like your face and I trust your decisions," she answered.

This answer baffled Erwin.

"A person might say that you are flirting with me, Miss Hanji," Erwin said slyly.

"I would then tell them that they are right, Mr. Smith," she said, just as shrewdly.

They stared at each other for a minute before Erwin smiled at her.

"You said you trust my decisions," he said, "But I'm not in office yet. I haven't made any decisions."

She sipped her drink once more, giving him a level look.

"I think that your experience speaks for itself," she told him, "Just as long as you don't expect me to take over for you again."

Erwin was now completely perplexed.

"Sorry," she said after a moment, laughing to herself, "Inside joke. I would explain, but it would take a while to explain and I'm sure that you have other people to talk to."

"I do," Erwin replied, "But I would rather spend my time talking with you, to be honest."

* * *

There was a naked woman in his bed and Erwin was content.

He didn't know exactly how sane she was, sane enough to become a scientist, apparently. He didn't know about her childhood or anymore about her research than she knew about the policies he was going to try to enact. He did know that he felt completely at ease talking to her about everything and that she felt wonderful in his arms.

Erwin ran some theories in his head

  1. He could leave now, riding on the chance that they would meet again if it really was fate (possible, but not very realistic).
  2. She still was a high paid prostitute and his friends set this all up so he could get laid (unlikely, seeing as she had pledged a large sum of money).
  3. He could stay here until she woke up and take her out for breakfast to see where this leads them (most likely the answer).



 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really liked this chapter. It was cute to write. :3
> 
> So you guys asked for an Erwin and Hanji chapter and I delivered! I still have several of your requests to write and work into the story, but if you guys have anything else you want to see, just let me know! 
> 
> You guys are the greatest and I love you all! <3


	54. Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Are you sure? I can take you out for pizza."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Marry Me](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRCsZ5a3aCM) by Jason Derulo

Connie wasn't really a morning person, but something had been on his mind for the past couple days that made it hard for him to sleep. That, and he had a class in an hour.

Sasha was going to have to leave in a couple weeks.

Seeing as she wasn't an American citizen, her passport only allowed her to stay for three months.

Not that he wasn't expecting it, but their time together seemed to go much quicker than he even wanted. He wasn't a mushy guy, but Sash was the only person who really understood the way his brain worked. He wasn't necessarily clever, but she made him feel that way. They had similar wavelengths. 

He sighed and rolled over to see Sasha already awake and was staring at him.

"I have ta go back home soon," she said sadly.

Similar wavelengths. Never ceased to amaze Connie how she practically read his mind.

Connie sighed.

"I know," he said, "Maybe I could skip class today..."

"Don't yeh dare," she scolded him but she giggled none the less.

"Are you sure? I can take you out for pizza."

Sasha's eyes widened at the mention of food. She looked like she was going to take him up on the offer but then shook her head.

"Class is more important. Plus, I can get pizza while you're away."

"Harsh, Sash," Connie said as he wrapped his arms around her, "You sure? I mean, food is always more fun when eaten with people."

She put her face in the crook of his neck. It was moment of sweetness. That is, it was, until she blew a wet raspberry into his neck.

"Fuck! Gross, Sash!" Connie complained, pulling away from her.

She rolled onto her back and started cracking up.

"Yer such a sucker," she laughed and Connie rolled his eyes as he sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed to get up.

He quickly got a shower and dried off before coming back to his bedroom, still seeing Sasha sprawled out on the bed staring at the ceiling. He shrugged and started getting some clothes on, despite wanting to crawl back into bed and lay there for the rest of the day. Or maybe a more physical activity with his girlfriend.

"I don't want teh go home," she sighed and Connie turned to look at her.

"You could always marry me instead," he suggested as he put his shirt on. When he looked over at her again, she was looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Was that a proposal, Mr. Springer?" she asked slyly and Connie laughed and he sat back down on the bed.

"Yeah," he replied, "I mean, we have already been married and it's obvious that's where we're heading now. I may not be really smart, but I'm smart enough to know that I wan't you to be my wife. Again."

Sasha stared at him for a moment before she punched him on the shoulder.

"Ya bampot," she replied, "Sure I'll marry ya."

Connie grinned.

"Then let's do it today," he said, standing.

She rolled her eyes.

"Yeh just wanna get out of yer class," she accused and Connie couldn't argue.

"Maybe, but the sooner we do this, the sooner you can stay here with me. Sound good?" he asked and he knew she wouldn't really argue, "Then we can get pizza after we go to the Justice of the Peace, I'll take you out for pizza and a movie. We'll get an extra large popcorn if you want."

Needless to say, Sasha didn't argue and Connie did end up skipping his class that day.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, so many marriages. Whatever, everyone needs to be happy in this fic.
> 
> My chapters are getting really short. I don't know how I feel about that.


	55. Redemption

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I want my chance to make everything right. To see our friends. My chance at redemption. Don't you want that?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm sorry that it's been a while since I've updated. I've been in the middle of getting myself out of a toxic situation that has been causing me a lot of anxiety and other health problems. But here I am, back in business! Thank you all for you support in this story. I love you all so much!
> 
> Song: [Burn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGyEd0aKWZE) by Ellie Goulding

It had been getting close to a year since Bertholdt started living with Reiner back in London and Reiner found that the taller boy was...different. It was to be expected since he did spend at least ten years of his life in a place telling him he was insane. Sometimes, Bertholdt would admit that he thought they were right.

He tended to stay away from anyone who wasn't Reiner and it was actually kind of painful to see him this way. He had always been reserved and quiet unless he was comfortable, but the problem was that he was hardly ever comfortable anymore. Not only that, but he didn't seem to be able to function around people without a certain level of distrust, which might have been a mixture of their past life and his time institutionalized.

Which was why it surprised Reiner so much when he came home one day to find his boyfriend holding a something in his hands as he sat on the couch.

"What's that?" the bulky blonde said to him and Bertholdt wordlessly.

Reiner took it and read over it before his eyes widened.

"So...Hanji invited us too? How the hell did she even know what address to find us at?" Reiner asked and Bertholdt shrugged.

Reiner read it over once more before looking at Bertholdt who was staring at his feet. It seemed apparent to Reiner that his boyfriend didn't want to go.  Reiner didn't either. Well, he did want to see those people because he had genuinely cared for them, but he knew that what they did wasn't exactly forgivable. It was probably for the best that they try to move on and atone for what the did away from the others.

Reiner crumpled up the invitation and was about to throw it away when Bertholdt's voice stopped him.

"I want to go."

Reiner whipped his head around to look at the taller man but Bertholdt didn't look up.

"I want to go," he repeated, "This might be the only chance we get at reconciliation."

It took Reiner a few seconds to formulate a response.

"You do realize that if we go to this 'Recon Corps Meetup' they are probably all going to hate us, right? I mean, we never were on the best of terms with them after what we did. If I remember right, they tried to fucking kill us, Bert!"

Bertholdt finally looked up at him with a determined look in his eyes that Reiner hadn't seen in ages.

"Why would they want us to come if they hated us?"

Reiner had an answer for him.

"It was Hanji who invited us right? Who the hell knows what she wants to do with us. Or to us. For all they know, we could still have titan powers or whatever and they just want to capture us. It could all be a trap or-"

"Reiner!"

The blond male snapped his jaw shut in surprise, not used to the usually reserved man raising his voice.

Bertholdt took a breath before he continued.

"Think about what you are saying. It's...mad," Bertholdt said and Reiner knew that his boyfriend didn't like to use that word, "If they wanted to capture us, wouldn't they have already? They already know where we live. And look at what it says at the bottom of the invitation."

Reiner hesitated for a second before he looked at the bottom. The whole invitation was printed off the computer except for the bottom words

There, written in messy handwriting, were the words,  _"The bonds we made can't be broken"_.

"She wrote that on there. Odds are, Ymir's and Annie's have the same thing on them. I want to go, Reiner. I want my chance to make everything right. To see our friends. My chance at redemption. Don't you want that?"

Reiner looked at the invitation for a moment more before he sat down beside his lover.

"I do," he sighed, "But it's just...I'm just..."

"Scared," Bertholdt finished for him, "I am too. But we've spent so long trying to avoid what we've done, maybe its time to face them and get a chance at being forgiven."

"What if they don't?"

The question hung in the air and they both knew it was a distinct possibility.

Bertholdt spoke quietly.

"Then...we always have each other. Through thick and thin. No matter what. Even if they reject us, we aren't alone, right?"

Reiner put his head in his hands and sighed before he felt Bertholdt's hand on his back. He looked up at the dark-haired male.

"Yeah, you're right, Bertl. 'Course you are."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at those two fuckers. I love them.


	56. Knowing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Would you stop me if I wanted to leave?"
> 
> "I would try to talk you out of it, but I know I can't forcibly stop you if you were set on leaving."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if prostitution is a trigger, but I'm putting a warning here anyway. Also, there is some brief violence and mentions of abuse as well in this chapter.
> 
> Song: [Come With Me Now](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz2GVlQkn4Q) by KONGOS

_September 28, 2009_

It wasn't that he hated prostitutes, but he did get called up more often because of violence because of them. It was his job, as a police officer, to protect the people. Not that he minded, but it was rather quite the opposite. At least he was being useful. However, it frustrated Marlowe to no end to know people like that were still on the streets. It had been bad enough when it was just his previous lifetime, but he would have thought that people would have found something better to do than to sell their bodies.

However, it wasn't until one day close to the end of his shift that his entire worldview got turned on it's head.

He was sitting on patrol about to start up his car to head back to the office when he heard some commotion in a nearby alley way. For a moment, he thought it was just a simple argument but when he heard a deeper man's voice making threats, he knew it was time to step in.

There had been a reason he had joined the Military Police before and it was the same reason he decided to become an officer. Unfortunately, it seemed that no matter what lifetime, the system would always be corrupt, no matter how hard Marlowe tried.

"You fucking slut, give me back my money!" a voice shouted and Marlowe sped up his steps.

"Fuck you! I don't owe you anything. It's not my fault you decided to try to get more than you paid for," another voice yelled back, "Fuck! Let me go you damn bastard!"

"Either you give me my money back or I  _will_ take what I want," the first voice threatened and Marlowe was almost to the alleyway, hoping that there was only two people. Two people he could handle. He technically should have called for back up, but he hadn't thought things through before he had rushed in.

He rounded the corner in time to see a larger, more well dressed man pinning a slightly smaller man in a simple jeans hoodie against the concrete wall. It was obvious in Marlowe's eyes what was going. The two hadn't seen him yet and he didn't want to risk either of them bolting so he approached silently. The shorter one then spit on the other man's face and before Marlowe could process what had happened, the bigger man slapped him across the face.

Marlowe pulled the gun out of his holster in a second and pointed it at the man.

"You little cunt! I'll kill-"

"Freeze! Santa Barbara Police!" Marlowe ordered just as the man raised a fist, "Hands behind your head!"

They both looked over at Marlowe and they both seemed as if they were going to bolt but Marlowe shook his head.

"Sir, I'm going to need you to step away from him," Marlowe said calmly and the well dressed man looked for a way out but seeing none, he did as Marlowe instructed, much to the officer's relief.

Marlowe approached the man slowly and turned him around and started arresting him, chanting to him his Miranda Right's before the other man's voice stopped him.

"I-I  _know_ you."

Marlowe looked over at him and his eyes widened when he could see the person's face that had been previously hidden by his hoodie. For a few seconds, he was rather speechless.

"Hitch?"

Hitch, it was definitely her, or him as Marlowe could tell by a close look, jolted and took a step back away from him.

"How do you know my name?"

Marlowe furrowed his eyes in confusion. Didn't she, well, he say that he knew Marlowe?

"You don't...remember?"

The question hung in the air and Marlowe almost forgot that they had a third person with them until he fidgeted.

"We can talk later. I should bring you down to the station for your statement either way," Marlowe said, pushing the man towards the car.

He didn't realize that Hitch wasn't following until he was almost out of the alleyway.

"What's wrong?"

"Do I have to be in the backseat with him?"

Marlowe didn't even realize that putting Hitch in the same car with his assaulter would be a problem. He should have. But before he could reply, Hitch marched up and stated, "I'm sitting in the front. And then that had better be the closest I ever get to that fucker again."

Marlowe opened the backdoor and slid the man into the car, who was crying and begging not to be taken to jail and how he had a family and a job and a reputation to uphold. It wasn't Marlowe who responded but rather, Hitch.

"Well, you should have thought of that before you hired and hit a whore."

* * *

From Hitch's statement, Marlowe found out that this time around, Hitch was definitely a male, sixteen years old, a prostitute, and homeless. Hitch hadn't been to keen on entering the station, especially since his profession wasn't entirely legal and he didn't want to be sent into a foster home.

Marlowe had a record of being the best officer on the force, so after pulling a few strings, it was decided that Hitch would be allowed to go home with him instead of going into the system. It obviously wasn't the ideal situation for Hitch, but Marlowe figured it was better than having his old friend back on the streets doing less favorable deeds.

Hitch only had a backpack with personal effects in it and the first thing he did was take advantage of the shower without a word to Marlowe. Knowing that Hitch probably hadn't changed much since before, Marlowe shrugged and changed out of his uniform before ordering out some Chinese food.

Once Hitch left the shower, Marlowe awkwardly stood in the hallway for a second.

"I don't have a bed in the second bedroom for the time being, so until I can buy one, I can sleep on the couch and you can sleep in my bed," he finally said, "And I also ordered Chinese."

Hitch turned to look at him and stared at him for a long moment.

"What makes you think that I will be staying here to sleep?" 

Marlowe had already thought of this.

"If you leave, you won't get a free place to stay or free food or a hot shower everyday," he reasoned and Hitch seemed to think this over.

"Would you stop me if I wanted to leave?"

"I would try to talk you out of it, but I know I can't forcibly stop you if you were set on leaving."

Hitch glared at Marlowe before he marched over to the officer. For a minute, he thought that the teenager was going to brush right past him and leave the house, but instead, Hitch dropped on his knees and started to unbuckle Marlowe's belt.

"Wh-wait!" Marlowe said, turning red and smacking his hands away, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Nobody does things for free like that," Hitch responded flatly, hands going back towards his belt, "I'm willing to suck your dick if it means I can get room and board here."

"Stop it!" Marlowe said with more authority this time and Hitch stopped, looking up at him, "I'm not doing this because I want you to repay me. I just couldn't see someone go back to that kind of lifestyle at such a young age."

Hitch stared at him before bursting into laughter. Marlowe could only manage a desperately confused expression.

"Oh, man," Hitch said between breaths, clutching his stomach, "You're the real deal. A real 'good guy'. That's fucking hilarious."

Hitch was in hysterics for another minute or two but his reaction was terribly familiar as it had already happened to Marlowe, even if the other couldn't remember. It was actually a bit disconcerting. 

Hitch finally stood and looked at Marlowe.

"Seriously though, what the fuck do you want? There has to be a reason you are helping me. In my line of business, no charity is done out of the goodness of people's hearts."

Marlowe just shook his head.

"I don't want anything. I'm telling the truth. I brought you here so you  _wouldn't_ have to do that anymore. I'm honestly surprised that you even wanted to in the first place instead of an actual job."

Before Marlowe knew what had happened, he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, only to realize that Hitch had landed a rather hard punch. He doubled over and Hitch pulled him by the collar to his own height.

"Listen, you fucking 'Good Samaritan'," he snarled into the older man's face, "Tell me what 'actual job' hires a sixteen year old with no home or social security number. Tell me what job hires a ten year old who just ran away from their fifth and last foster home because the parents got piss drunk and beat the shit out of all the foster kids. It's easy for someone like you to say 'Get a job' but I would have thought that by being a police officer, you would have figured out that things aren't as clean cut as all that. Soup kitchens can only give you one meal if they don't run out of food. Shelters can only give you a place if you line up early enough. So drop the self-righteous act, you fucking prick, and learn that its not changing anything. You know nothing, Marlowe Freudenberg."

He released Marlowe's collar and the officer stepped back with wide eyes. They both stared at each other for a moment, Hitch, seething and passionate, and Marlowe, shocked and ashamed.

"I'm sorry," the officer said after a moment, "I-I didn't realize."

"Your type never does," Hitch spat, "Can't stand you people."

"Then why did you come with me?"

Hitch's anger drops away in a second and he seems to be contemplating something.

"I...know you," he answered eventually, "I don't how, but I know who you are. I know that you have stupidly pure intentions. I know that you hate apples."

"Allergic," Marlowe interrupted.

"Yeah, that's right," Hitch said before scoffing, "Who the fuck is allergic to apples? Anyway, I know that you hate prostitutes, which is why I was so surprised that you decided to help me out. I also know you look terrible with a bowl-cut."

Marlowe ran a hand through his hair subconsciously, secretly glad he had done away with that haircut as well.

"I don't know how I know this," Hitch said, looking down, "It's happened a handful of times. I knew this guy that was walking down the street one day, Boris Feulner. I didn't say anything to him though. For some reason, I know he was an asshole to me but I can't remember why."

Marlowe listened carefully, finding the whole situation interesting.

"You also knew my name," Hitch continued, "Because of all that, I knew I could trust you. At least a little bit."

He regarded the teenager carefully before sighing.

"I believe you," Marlowe said, and he could tell that Hitch had been worried that he would think of him as crazy, "And maybe soon, I'll tell you why you know these things and how I knew your name. But, you have to stay if you want answers. And go to school too."

Hitch twisted his face up and scowled, obviously not pleased but the prospect of room and board as well as answers seemed to persuade him.

"Fine," he said tersely, "So you did want something after all then."

Marlowe only shrugged.

* * *

_Present_

"Hey we got another email about the Survey Corps stuff," Ymir said, "You think Hanji's invitations are making it so more people are checking it out?"

River and Eren came up to the laptop to see who was contacting them now. The past few months had been crazy with people who had died and come back again finding the not-so-secret reference, especially since Hanji's 'Get Everybody Back Together' party was fast approaching.

 **From:**   _h!tchc0ck@email.com_

_hey so i don't know how to explain this, but those hoodies from that new movie looks a lot like what the recon corps used to wear. don't ask me how i know that, i just do. i was wondering if you had maybe military police shit or stationary guard stuff._

_Hitch_

"Who's Hitch?" Eren asked.

"Well if they are asking about Military Police or Stationary Guard things, I think its safe to assume that we probably didn't know them," River responded, "We didn't even know every single person in the Survey Corps."

"Either way, it's a valid question," Ymir said, "I'm going to email back and say that we are working on it. That way they don't at least think they are crazy. Maybe Hanji can even send them an invite."

River only groaned at the prospect of the party getting even larger, but couldn't hide all of her excitement at seeing old friends once more.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly only see Marlowe and Hitch as a Brotp but I did want to write a chapter about the two of them. This is slowly becoming a fic to satisfy my shipper needs.
> 
> Hitch is a dude in this fic though! Whatevs XD.
> 
> Did you also catch my Game of Thrones reference? Didya? I'm such a fucking nerd.


	57. Singing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " There really wasn't that much opportunity to sing at all and most of the time they were fighting for their lives."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [She Looks So Perfect](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2BYmmTI04I)
> 
> So...I got this idea from nightcrawler554 and I was super excited to write it. I hope I did the prompt justice.

River was tired. Not in the 'I-need-to-go-to-bed' sense, but in the 'I'm-one-shit-away-from-freaking-the-fuck-out' kind of way. 

In other words, she was stressed. Production of the adaptation of her book was going well and she wasn't sure if most authors had this much involvement with a movie adaptation but it sure was taking a lot out of her. 

She sighed as she got to the door opening it. It wasn't late; maybe two in the afternoon. Either way, she expected Eren to be at work and expected to crash on the couch until he got home. Jet lag does that to a person.

What she didn't expect, was the sound of the radio turned almost all the way up and the sound of the vacuum going.

Cleaning. That's something she liked to hear.

There was another thing she liked to hear but didn't expect it at all.

Eren was singing along with the radio. And damn, was he good. Like, fucking fantastic. 

River had never heard him sing in their previous life. There really wasn't that much opportunity to sing at all and most of the time they were fighting for their lives.

But now, listening to Eren, she was frozen in her spot at the entryway. He sounded so happy and carefree and damn, he really could have made a living off of singing if he wanted to. Fuck, his voice was stunning. From rich baritones to impressive falsetto, River felt that she could listen to his voice sing forever. His voice wasn't usually smooth, but him singing made it seem like he was the Morgan Freeman of music.

She eventually closed the front door quietly and stepped into the hallway before peeking into the living room. There was Eren, in a white t-shirt and the Spongebob boxers Hanji had gotten for him as a joke, vacuuming and singing and attempting to dance. Cook was laying in the corner, watching him lazily.

To River, Eren had never looked so attractive.

River held back a snort of laughter as she watched him and leaned against the door frame, waiting for Eren to notice her.

_"If I showed up with a plane ticket_   
_And a shiny diamond ring with your name on it"_

Eren did an impressive turn involving the vacuum cleaner, somehow managing to avoid tripping over the cord and spotted River by the door. Instead of being embarrassed like she thought he would be, he turned off the vacuum cleaner and bounded over to her, much like a puppy, and swooped her up in a giant hug and swung her around. Instead of greeting her, however, he set her down and the fucker pulled her into a  _dance_.

"Eren-" she started but he interrupted her with his singing and she found that she couldn't complain much as long as he kept singing.

_"You look so perfect standing there_   
_In my American Apparel underwear"  
_

At this point, he had his hand on her waist and he was trying to do some sort of waltz while pulling her around. Normally, she would have told him to fuck off, but she was way to entrance with his fucking singing to care. 

The dancing didn't much go with the song, but Eren was happy and River actually let a smile crack through. She even considered singing with him, but she was a fucking terrible singer, in this life and the one before. In fact, she was completely tone deaf, so she settled on letting herself watch her fiance dance around like an idiot, with her in his arms. A small smile graced her face as he sang excitedly to her in that silk voice of his.

Fuck, how did she manage to land someone who was as idiotic and attractive as him?

He tried to twirl River, but she glared at him and he laughed instead. It wasn't until he tried to dip her that he lost his rhythm and he ended up loosing his balance. River was expecting to crash to the floor, but Eren managed to catch her somehow before practically landing on top of her.

He looked at her for a moment before he smiled.

"I missed you," he admitted.

"Brat, I was only gone for three days. You're getting needy," River responded, but she had to admit, she missed him too.

"Maybe. I can't help it," Eren shrugged and River rolled her eyes.

"Where the fuck did you learn to sing like that?" she asked.

Eren cocked his head in mild confusion.

"Sing like what?"

"Like a fucking guy version of Whitney Houston," River responded curtly, "Did you take voice lessons?"

Eren shook his head, looking even more confused.

"I'm...a good singer?" he asked uncertainly.

River was surprised. Did he really not know this?

"Fucking fantastic. It makes me want to ride you until sunset," River said, "Fuck, Eren, you better start kissing me right now or I'm going to be pissed.

Eren was more than happy to comply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's seriously been forever since I've written my main dorks. They're idiots. I love them.
> 
> I'm ramping up for the "Get Everyone Together" chapter and there is a little surprise for River that _might_ make her cry. Who knows. I don't really control them anymore.


	58. Puppy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Are you sure about going?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Bubbly](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWGqoCNbsvM) by Colbie Caillat.

"Puppy."

The man face down in the pillow groaned but didn't move.

"Puuuuppy."

Still no movement.

The blonde woman decided to climb onto his back and start bouncing.

"Puppy, wake up," she said, "Garrett is going to be up soon."

He finally turned his head and sucked in long breath through his nose.

"Garrett is already awake, but he is falling back asleep," he replied, pushing his face back into the pillow.

"Mike!"

"Let me sleep, Nana. Please," he grumbled, but he, "It's too early."

"It's nine!" she huffed, "Garrett needs to get up too. We need to take him to my mom's before we leave."

Mike sighed and started to turn over, Nanaba sliding off of him. He sighed deeply.

Him and Nanaba had met in kindergarten, their young minds knowing then just what had happened in the past. They had been joined at the hip ever since, even when Nanaba decided that she was more comfortable as a female than her biological male body and decided to change her body to match. Only a couple years later, they got married and adopted their first child, Garrett.

What they never expected was to receive a letter from almost five thousand miles away from people they never thought they would hear from.

"Nanaba?" Mike said after staring at the ceiling for a moment.

"Hmm?"

"Are you sure about going?"

She turned towards him to give him a quizzical look.

"Are you?" she asked as if trying to gauge his mood.

"She said Erwin doesn't remember," was all he said.

Nanaba sighed. She knew this had been bothering her husband ever since he had talked to Hanji on the phone after getting the invitation. Mike and Erwin had been close, up until the point he died, which was something Mike didn't like to talk about. Which was fine. Nanaba didn't like talking about her death either.

"No, but at least he's alive and happy, right?" she said eventually, "Isn't that what matters?"

He turned his head to look at her concerned face. They watched each other for a few moments, having a silent conversation with their eyes.

"Yes," he said simply and she new that he understood.

"Mama? Papa?"

The both turn towards their door where their four-year-old son was standing in the doorway.

"I'm hungry," he said, waddling into the room.

"I thought you said he was falling back asleep," Nanaba accused as she picked up the toddler.

"I may have lied," Mike said smugly and Nanaba rolled her eyes.

"Papa is being naughty, Garrett," she sighed, "He doesn't want to get out of bed."

"Papa!" the small child giggled, crawling over to the blond man, "You have to leave today and I have to go to Grammy's house!"

"Maybe we should stay here and Mama can leave," Mike said, "We can stay here and eat cookies in bed and have some guy time."

"Yeah!" the child exclaimed, eyes shining, "Can we do that, Mama? Pleeeeaaaase?"

"No," she said, standing, "And, Puppy, stop instigating. We need to get to Anchorage by three and we still need to get ready and drop off Garrett."

Both males looked at her with a pout that made them look almost exactly alike, despite not being blood related.

"Zacharias men," Nanaba muttered before she started to walk to the kitchen, "I'm making breakfast. If you two aren't out of bed when I'm done, you are both getting a spanking."

The responses came at the same time.

"No, Mama! I'm coming!"

"I might take you up on that."

She sighed and rolled her eyes. She really needed to have a daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was super cute to write, not going to lie. I realized that I really like writing families and Mike and Nanaba are the cutest thing ever.
> 
> The next chapter is going to be the reunion chapter. It's happening a lot sooner than I thought it would and just...wow. I can't believe that this has nearly has sixty chapters.


	59. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Alright. I'll trust you."

"Do you believe in reincarnation?"

Annie looked up from her meager meal of cereal in shock at her husband across the table. The look only lasted a moment before she got her expression under control and she shut her slack jaw.

"What?" she said coolly, hoping that Armin didn't see her surprised expression.

He did.

"Annie, I'm not stupid."

"I never said you were," she said offhandedly, hoping that Armin would drop the subject.

He didn't.

"Answer the question, Annie."

She sighed and set down her spoon in the bowl.

"It's an interesting concept that has some validity in some aspects," she said evasively, "It depends on your experience I suppose."

"Depending on your experience, do you believe in reincarnation?" Armin pressed and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"What is this about, Armin?" she asked. Sometimes she cursed his intelligence. Why couldn't he be stupid like Jaeger sometimes?

"I saw the letter."

Her blood ran cold with that simple sentence but she managed to save face. At least she thought she had until Armin spoke again.

"Listen, it's something that hasn't added up for me but I figured you would tell me in time, but it's been years and you still haven't mentioned it," Armin sighed, "I've run every possible theory in my head, even one where you turned out to be mad-"

"Hey!" Annie protested, but Armin powered through.

"And the only conclusion I've reached is this one, as impractical and illogical as it sounds. You always told me that you've done something horribly terrible, but you grew up in suburbia with loving parents. But when Eren and River saw you, they knew you and acted like you  _had_ done something terrible."

"I met Eren at camp-"

"You never went to a summer camp," Armin argued, "Unless your parents are lying to me."

Annie tried to feel anger that Armin had asked if she had gone to camp, but she knew she was in the wrong. She had no right to be upset with him when she had been lying to him this whole time.

"And now, you are planning a trip to New York for a reunion of some sort, without me, and hid a letter addressed to  _both_ of us," Armin finished, "Not only that, but it also said that Bertholdt and Reiner were coming. Who are they?"

Annie had lost her appetite. She had never wanted to have this conversation with Armin. The less he remembered and knew, the better. Not only because she didn't want to admit what she had done, but because it was better that he didn't know what horrors his past held.

"Bertholdt and Reiner...were fellow warriors with me," Annie winced, knowing how stupid it sounded, hoping she didn't seem crazy, "I do believe in reincarnation because I am here and so is Eren and River, who was called Levi back then. I didn't want you to know because I didn't want you to remember what you became and the choices you had to make and what you lived through and...what I did."

Armin considered this carefully and Annie chanced a glance at him. He was looking at her thoughtfully.

"Wings," he said finally and her head snapped up.

"What?"

"Wings," he repeated, "Ever since I was little, I've always dreamed about wings. Blue and white ones overlapping. Wings, red roses, and a green unicorn. That's the only thing I can remember from my dreams."

Annie gaped at him once more. He dreamed about the three military branches. He  _knew_. She didn't expect to feel such relief.

"I'm not going to ask details, because whatever it was, it must have been pretty horrible for you to have hidden it, and Eren to have hidden it because he seems stupidly honest most of the time."

Annie snorted and nodded.

"He is a good person, no matter what, but back then...you two were joined at the hip. He cares about you but didn't want you to remember anything unnecessarily," Annie said.

Amin sat quietly for a moment before he spoke.

"I'm coming with you."

At this, Annie felt some anxiety. 

"Armin, I don't think thats a good-"

"I want to," he interrupted, "These people...they will remember me, yes?"

Annie gave him a level look before answering,  "Yeah."

"Then I would want to see them," he told her before returning to his meal.

"Armin, what if it triggers something? What if you remember and-"

"Would that really be such a bad thing?"

"Yes!" Annie exploded, "You don't know what you had to live through and the shit you had to do and you don't have any regrets! Why would you risk that? Come on Armin, you've always been smart. Why would you risk that?"

Armin looked taken aback by her outburst but then thought for a moment. 

"You think I would leave you if I remembered, " Armin said simply and Annie didn't deny it.

"You would," she said, "And even if you didn't, you would look at me different.  The same way you did...back then."

He stared at her before asking quietly, "Why are you going alone then? Why are you going at all to people who would hate you when they remember when you can't even face the possibility that I could remember? That doesn't  make any sense, Annie. From what it sounds like, we were all terrible people with not many options besides horrible ones. Let me come with you, Annie, and trust me."

Annie felt a pang in her heart remembering the time she had trusted him and he had betrayed her. But that was then and he wasn't trying to win at anything. Armin was the same but he was also different. They lived in a peaceful world that was vastly different than before. 

She didn't want him to come. There was too much at stake, but she sighed.

"Alright. I'll trust you.B

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I lied about this being the reunion chapter. Next time, though, I promise. The big chapter 60!


	60. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "If we keep thinking about the past as if it were the present, we are never going to have a good future."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REUNION CHAPTER
> 
> Song: [This is Home](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS3fzJOnqV0) by Switchfoot

It was busy, to say the least. It was fortunate that Hanji had a huge house because they all wouldn't have fit in it otherwise.

However, River couldn't help but feel completely content. Eren was talking animatedly to a blond kid that he had called Thomas and some other of his training mates. There was a happy kind of buzz in the air, even thought the party had only started and not even half of the guests were there yet.

"River!" she heard her name being called and turned to see Petra dragging Aurou and coming towards her, "I just saw Nifa! Have you seen her yet?"

River thought back to the last time she had seen the other woman and shook her head, getting the image out of her mind.

"No, where is she?" she responded, more than eager to see her alive and well, "I'd like to talk to her. And...apologize."

"Captain," a new voice said and she turned to see it was said woman, smiling and looking very much alive, to River's relief, "There's no need to apologize. Really."

She didn't say it wasn't her fault or that it was all in the past, which River was grateful for. River was about to open her mouth when she noticed that the talking had quieted significantly and she looked around to see why. It was only a moment before she saw why.

Annie had actually made an appearance.

"Um...who is that?" Petra whispered, noticing the sudden change in atmosphere.

River hesitated to answer but then decided to be straightforward.

"That's the person who killed you guys," River said, watching both of her former members of her squad carefully. Aurou looked as if he were having some trouble figuring out what he was feeling, but Petra let go of her husband's hand and marched up to the blonde woman. 

"Petra-" Auruo started but River hushed him. Petra had always been the heart of the group. Usually, whatever she did, the rest of them would find it in themselves to agree, so her reaction was going to be indicative to how they treated Annie.

The blonde woman stiffened, obviously recognizing Petra and watched her approach with a careful gaze. The entire room was holding its breath, waiting to see what would happen. Only Hanji seemed unsurprised when Petra wrapped her arms around the younger woman.

River let out a sigh of relief.

"What the fuck?" Auruo said, "Didn't you say she killed us?"

"Yes," River answered.

"Then why-"

"Because," Nifa interrupted, "If we keep thinking about the past as if it were the present, we are never going to have a good future. I wasn't there to see everything play out, but I've been told what happened, and our side wasn't completely innocent of murder either."

"We have to forgive and forget and treat people like people because that's all they are now," River added and she could see Aurou thinking it over. 

"I watched her kill Petra," he said finally, "It's not going to be that easy to forget."

River nodded and understood, watching as Petra released a shell shocked Annie and say something to her just before Armin came through the door. Why Armin was here when he didn't even remember was beyond River's comprehension, but then again, she was standing among a group of people that she had met in another life, so she supposed there were stranger things going on.

* * *

"Mikasa!" a brown haired girl whined, "Why do ye always tease me like tha?"

"You are easy to tease," Micah replied, watching as Sasha followed the roll that he was waving back and forth.

"But-"

"Fuck, Sash, just have mine," Connie said, shoving one into her mouth and Sasha started attacking the roll without much prompting.

"Congratulations on getting married, by the way," Micah said, taking a bite from her roll, "You two weren't ever ones for ceremonies so I'm not surprised you guys tied the knot so quickly. Was it a shotgun wedding?"

Connie spluttered while Sasha munched on her roll, undeterred.

"Nope," she answered with her mouth full, "Just didn't wanna go home!"

Micah rolled his eyes. Only Sasha and Connie could find the stupidest reasons to get married and actually have it work out for them.

Micah looked over at Annie and Armin, seeing them talk to Jean and Marco. He might not ever approve of Annie, but Armin was here, so that must mean that he knew to some extent and he still chose Annie.

He noticed Micah staring and gave a small wave before focusing on someone behind him. Micah turns to look and feels his face become stone cold.

Bertholdt and Reiner had come too. Micah tried to remind himself that it was another lifetime and they all had blood on their hands, but he also couldn't forget the times they had put Eren and the rest of them in danger.

It was Connie who broke the second tense silence.

"Hey! It's Bertholdt and his butthole!"

Sasha snorted and Micah rolled his eyes.

"That...joke will never get old," Reiner muttered, still stiff but relaxing slowly as Connie approached and threw his arm around the two taller men.

"Good, because I'm going to keep using it!" Connie said gleefully, "Mikasa, you completely missed the one time that we went boar hunting and Reiner nearly pissed his pants at the giant shit it took. Man, that was classic..."

* * *

"No, it was kind of hilarious," Jean said laughing, "Armin hit his shin but then for some reason he was in the infirmary with _both_ of his legs wrapped up. He acted like he would never be able to move again."

Annie smiled fondly at the memory. It was humorous to think of and her husband was turning red at the story.

"Well, I'm glad I can't remember this..." he said, obviously embarrassed.

"No, Armin. It was great," Jean said slinging his arm around the blonde.

"If I do remember, you got us lost in the woods for six hours," Annie said blandly, "You're lucky that Armin and I stuck with you for that long."

"Oh, shut up, Annie," Jean waved her off, "The only reason you stayed that long was because Armin did."

Annie couldn't deny that and looked over at Armin. Jean continued talking to Marco and Annie leaned over to Armin.

"How are you doing?" she asked quietly.

"Fine," he answered, smiling slightly, "It's weird, but it feels like I know all these people, even though I don't remember meeting them. I'm glad I came."

"Me too," she admitted, "I'm glad I trusted you."

He smiled again and reached for her hand. 

"Some of them keep glaring at you, though," Armin mentioned, frowning.

"I told you, I wasn't exactly a good person," Annie explained but Armin shook his head.

"And I told you, none of us were, if what you told me is correct. You did what you had to to survive and so did they. I'm glad that one lady was accepting at least. Petra right?"

Annie nodded before she added quietly, "I killed her."

Armin was silent for a moment before he rubbed his thumb on the back of her hand.

"Did I kill anyone?"

She looked at him for a long moment before she nodded slightly.

"Than what's the difference between you and me?"

To that, Annie couldn't find a reasonable response. Curse him and his law degree.

"Come on," she said eventually, "I want to reintroduce you to Reiner and Bertholdt."

* * *

 

"It's too bad Erwin doesn't remember," Nanaba said sympathetically to Hanji, "That must be hard for you."

Hanji shrugged.

"Somewhat, but sometimes I think its better," she admitted, "We found each other either way."

"Where is he?" Mike asked and Hanji felt a bit bad. Mike and Erwin had been very close before Mike had died and now Erwin didn't even remember the man.

"He's at a conference. If you are staying in town a few more days, he will be back and I can say you are a friend or something."

Hanji also had an ulterior motive. She had seen how Armin had been interacting with everyone and even though he didn't remember anything, he treated everyone with a familiarity that got Hanji to thinking that maybe, just maybe, they were all connected by more than just their memories. Maybe, they had had other lives where they had all known each other and the one with titans had been their last so that was naturally what most of them remembered. Her brain was buzzing with theories.

Mike sniffed.

"Hanji, stop using me as your test subject again," he said offhandedly and Hanji laughed.

"Sorry, my friend. Old habits die hard," she responded.

* * *

It was getting later and later and everyone was still talking animatedly and chattering with old friend, remembering lost times. Eren always thought this had the potential to be extremely awkward and full of sadness, but everyone seemed determined to remember the good that had happened and catch up on each other's lives now.

He had talked to Reiner and Bertholdt, only feeling the urge to kill for a couple minutes until they both looked as if they were going to combust into tears as they apologized every ten seconds they saw him.

Hanji had insisted on a group picture of all the former titan shifters and found it hilarious that they all had identical marks on their hands where they had tried to bite.

"I was curious," Annie said simply and Ymir laughed.

"We are all fucking idiots," the freckled girl said and all of them had to laugh at that.

It was much later in the evening when Hanji grabbed Eren and pulled him to the side.

"Make sure you keep Levi distracted until I text you," she hissed in his ear like a crazed maniac. Eren nodded and found River talking to Erd along with his wife who just so happened to remember as well.

"Eren!" Erd said, "I haven't seen you all evening. Good to see you, man."

Eren smiled and greeted Erd's wife when she was introduced. The only member left was Gunter, and for some reason, Hanji hadn't been able too find him. Eren knew that it bummed River out a little more than she would ever admit.

They chatted until Eren finally received a text and pulled River away, apologizing and saying that they were needed. Erd seemed to know exactly what was going on and bid them goodbye for a bit.

"Eren, what the fuck is going on?" River asked as Eren took her hand and wove through the people and climbing the stairs.

"Nothing," Eren said, not explaining.

"You're lying," River accused, "I know your ears turn red when you are lying."

"Levi, just trust me, okay?" Eren said as they got to the second floor. Eren calling her by her previous name seemed to settle her and he found the room that Hanji had mentioned.

Said woman came barreling out and nearly knocked the pair over.

"Oh! Levi! Eren! I was just coming to get you!"

"What the fuck is going on, Shit-Specs?" River asked, obviously getting more irritated.

"You are lucky I love ya, Levi," Hanji smiled, "I knew you'd cry so I found you guys some privacy. Think of it as an early birthday present. I'd like to see Eren top this one."

"Hey!" Eren protested but Hanji waved him off.

"Okay, okay. Eren helped quite a lot with this one," Hanji amended, "Now get in there."

River looked at the two of them and started to open the door and noticed that Eren wasn't following.

"You're not coming?" she asked, a little more than confused.

Eren shook his head and let out an awkward laugh.

"No," he answered, "Uh...you probably need your privacy with this. I'll be right here if you need me."

River looked like she was about to argue, but it seemed as if her curiosity got the better of her and she stepped inside the room and closed the door behind her.

"You did good, kid," Hanji said to Eren, "I could have never found them without you."

"You think River will be happy?" Eren asked.

"Eren, I wasn't kidding when I said she'll cry," Hanji said seriously, "I don't think you realize how much this will mean to her."

* * *

 

River stepped inside the room, not sure of what she would find, but what it actually was was not at all what she had ever expected.

"Big Bro!"

"Hey, Levi. Woah, you're a chick now."

She stood there shell shocked and speechless, looking at the people she never thought she would see again.

Isabel rolled her eyes and flew across the room and hugged River tightly.

"Never would have pictured you as a girl, Big Bro!" she said happily, "I think you have bigger boobs than me and that's not fair!"

River pulled away and placed her hands on Isabel's shoulders, staring at her as if she might disappear. She then turned her gaze over to the taller, blond man.

"Izzy...Farlan..." she whispered, completely at a loss. This had been her family and they would have lasted so much longer if it weren't for her stupid mistake.

They both grinned at him.

"I can see blaming yourself and you probably should stop," Farlan said, "It wasn't-"

"Just shut up," River said, grabbing Farlan and pulling him towards her as she pulled Isabel towards her as well, "Just shut up and...and..."

Fucking Hanji and her over-accurate predictions. River started crying like a newborn that had just shit itself.

Both of them wrapped their arms around River and let her cry.

"You fuckers!" she sobbed, "All of you are fuckers. Don't you even think about dying again. Fuck, I'm so sorry, Izzy. Farlan, I'm so sorry..."

"I've never seen you cry, Big Bro," Isabel said into her shoulder, shedding a few tears of her own.

"Shut the fuck up. It's your fault," River said and she could feel Farlan chuckle.

"It's good to see you again, Levi. I told you that we would."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A FEW IMPORTANT NOTES:
> 
> Alright, so I'm going to say the one thing that I know most readers hate a fic writer saying. I'm going to be taking a break from this fic for the summer. :3
> 
> Okay, okay, reasons. I don't want this to become a fic that I'm writing just because I have to. I feel like that detracts from the quality and I don't want that. That, and I'm going to focus all my energy on another fic I'm writing that I want to have done by the end of the summer.
> 
> I will pick up this fic again in SEPTEMBER. I promise. I'm not gonna leave you guys hanging. We are about halfway through now and I wouldn't do that to you guys. But yeah, right now, I just need to recuperate and figure out how I want to write this fic so I will see you guys in September, alright? :D


	61. Chapter 61

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Eren, knowing that she would probably kill him if he said anything about her uncharacteristic display of affection, only wrapped his arm around her before returning his attention to the television."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Trumpets](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOAfz0H4f00) by Jason Derulo

Eren knew there were certain times that wedding planning overwhelmed River, as much as he tried to help, knowing that it was his own wedding as well. Not only was the movie adaptation of her book fast approaching but along with another deadline and the wedding, River was a bit stressed. And true to character, she refused to admit she needed help.

However, there were times that Eren found he could at least be a bit helpful.

For instance, he had just gotten home from work and River was nowhere to be found. Figuring that he would sit on the couch and relax before he did anything else productive, he turned on the TV. 

Not even a minute later, he heard the door to the study open and then close.

"Oh, I didn't think you were home," Eren called out, desperately hoping that it wasn't Steve.

It wasn't, as he found out when she plopped on the couch beside him in one of his oversized shirts and a pair of her own pajama pants before curling up into him, pulling a blanket over the both of him.

Eren, knowing that she would probably kill him if he said anything about her uncharacteristic display of affection, only wrapped his arm around her before returning his attention to the television.

"I'm hungry," she said after a while, in annoyed voice.

Normally, Eren would have rolled his eyes and asked if that was something she expected him to fix. However, Eren could sense her foul mood and decided against this.

"We could order take-out. What do you want?" he asked, reaching for his cellphone.

"Pizza," she answered almost immediately, "With a lot of olives and bacon."

Eren crinkled his nose but ordered it anyway. It was about forty-five minutes later when the doorbell rung and when River made no move to get up, he sighed and got up himself. She made a noise of disgruntlement and his disappearance from her side made her fall over onto the couch and she laid there. Eren figured that she must be feeling really out of it if she was so mopey.

She perked up, however, when the pizza came and Eren got a couple of beers for the both of them too.

"Are you alright, Levi?" he asked as he sat back down.

"Fucking peachy," she replied, shoving a piece of pizza into her mouth.

Eren decided not to press and he barely got three slices of pizza before River scarfed the rest down. 

"Holy shit, where did you even put all of that?" Eren asked, wide-eyed.

"In my stomach. I'm going to have one hell of a shit later," she said, setting the pizza box aside and curling back up to him.

Eren sighed, and wrapped his arm around her once more. It struck him that she didn't really like eating on the couch as it was messy and brought crumbs, but he didn't say anything, figuring that River needed some time to de-stress herself.

It wasn't until a half hour later that he felt her breathing even out and he looked down to see that she had fallen fast asleep.

Eren smiled and turned off the TV deciding that while it still might be a bit early, he still had to get up pretty early and it was clear that Rive was down and out for the night.

Carefully, he maneuvered his arms under her and slowly stood, blanket falling off the both of them. River unconsciously buried herself closer into Eren's arms as he walked, Cook following close behind him.

It was one of those nights where words barely passed between them, but Eren figured that was okay. What River really needed was just for Eren to be there for her and he knew that not talking was sometimes best.

After he had put River in the bed and changed, he crawled into bed himself, happy to be in the warm bed with the person he loved most. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It feels weird to write for this fic again, wow. I'm not used to not having a plot laid out and writing things things that are just fluff. Uuuuuuugggghhh, I don't know how to feel about this chapter. It's weird writing in third person again. It's weird writing Levi as a woman again. It's just weird. Look at what LTW did to me.
> 
> So, I had a bunch of ideas at the beginning of the summer, but I started on another fic as you all know, so I forgot them. So I'm taking prompts for this fic. :3 
> 
> P.S. I still miss LTW.


End file.
